Building New Computer for my Brother

[Tatsujin]

List of items:

Case -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119106
Video Card (still discussing) -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150323
Power Supply -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005
RAM Memory -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122
Mobo -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131232
CPU -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115055

Another video card I may consider, but will not be able to purchase is -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150443 -- due to the fact that my mobo doesn't support CrossFire. I'll wait till nVidia releases something similar to that and I'll purchase theirs instead.

So I was thinking of giving my brother my two video cards, which are 2x 8800 GT SuperClocked (EVGA). The mobo and RAM are the same ones that I have in my computer. We're trying to get a really good computer at the lowest possible price. I'll work out the video cards. I'm not a CrossFire/ATI or AMD person so please keep it Intel / nVidia.

Reason we're getting that board is because it supports SLI, Dual Channel RAM, 8GB (minimum), has its own sound devices installed which is a big plus. 1GB connection and it's ASUS. Mobos I trust are Gigabyte, ASUS, and Intel.

I'm having a hardtime trying to find a nice fan for the CPU. Any help would be nice. I use -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118019 -- If there are other nice (cheaper if possible) fans then recommend them please.

As for the power supply, I believe it should be good. I want it to support SLI best of all so we can install both video cards.

I'm not too sure about the CPU, tho' I am looking for a Core 2 Quad. If we can upgrade to Core i5 or Core i7 then we'll probably have to switch just about the other hardwares around which is fine by me.

Case should be good and RAM as well. I like Corsair and G.Skill. I've hard horrible experience with Kingston and other brands.

Our budget is no more than 700 dollars. No keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, or any of that stuff. Just the computer itself.

[Xtras]

I know you said you aren't an ATI person but I must insist that you please reconsider after seeing the following link as it works better for your budget:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=ati+radeon+4770&x=0&y=0

I was originally going to get the 9800gt but I reconsidered because of this beauty

Advantages over the 9800gt:
45nm core and thus
-Less Heat
-Less Power consumption
-Overclocks better and more easily
-Works better if you crossfire it

And to be blunt, the 9800gt doesn't beat this card in a single category. I am serious, if you look at benchmarks, this one smokes Nvidia's card in every test. In fact, the reason why the 9800 is so cheap now is because of this card.

This card was so popular that I had trouble being able to buy one since they sold out so fast. Now they have been re-released with an even better heat sink for the dual slot cooler.

Please consider. I myself have found it to be a remarkable graphics card and it has been very trusty for me since its release. Only hangup is that you will need to reconsider your mobo...

This one caught my eye:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131377R

All in all, it is going to end up saving you money, considering you budget. Intel/Nvidia is better if you are going higher up and getting a more powerful computer. For 700 dollars, you can stay with Intel, but I highly recommend getting ATI instead of Nvidia. The mobo's come cheaper and the graphics cards are cheaper without a noticeable difference in quality.

I also approve of your choice for processor, and for PSU. I haven't had any experience with the company you chose for the case or the memory though.

[Tatsujin]

I know you said you aren't an ATI person but I must insist that you please reconsider after seeing the following link as it works better for your budget:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=ati+radeon+4770&x=0&y=0

I was originally going to get the 9800gt but I reconsidered because of this beauty

Advantages over the 9800gt:
45nm core and thus
-Less Heat
-Less Power consumption
-Overclocks better and more easily
-Works better if you crossfire it

And to be blunt, the 9800gt doesn't beat this card in a single category. I am serious, if you look at benchmarks, this one smokes Nvidia's card in every test. In fact, the reason why the 9800 is so cheap now is because of this card.

This card was so popular that I had trouble being able to buy one since they sold out so fast. Now they have been re-released with an even better heat sink for the dual slot cooler.

Please consider. I myself have found it to be a remarkable graphics card and it has been very trusty for me since its release. Only hangup is that you will need to reconsider your mobo...

This one caught my eye:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131377R

Yea, that video card I put in there I may not get it. That's why I said I was giving my 2x 8800 GT SC to my brother so I can purchase the new video cards that may come on the market.

So on that mobo you put, it said:

PCI Express x 16: 2 (support ATI CrossFireX technology at x8 link)

I'm a little lost? x8 what?

[Xtras]

So on that mobo you put, it said:

PCI Express x 16: 2 (support ATI CrossFireX technology at x8 link)

I'm a little lost? x8 what?

It has to do with the connection between the two graphics cards I am pretty sure. The x8 part will restrict exactly which cards you can crossfire, but I am not entirely sure as to which ones...I am looking into it now actually. While I do have these two cards Crossfired in my computer right now, my motherboard is different. The one I posted had the same features as yours at a lower price so I picked it.

I am now comparing the x8 thing to the more expensive mobos but Newegg has it to where the stuff isn't written exactly the same and you have to look up different things to actually compare them. I will try and post and update.

[Xtras]

Ah I have got it. Check these two links:

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/1035240.html

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/crossfire-meets-pci-express,1761-4.html

x8 is in essence bottlenecking your cards a little bit. That makes for why the mobo is cheaper. Now note that it seems not to cause too big a difference (take note of the graphs and comparisons in the second link). It is for you to decide whether that difference is worth the money for a more expensive mobo.

[Xtras]

Oh and this is good too:

http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/1472/intel_p45_vs_x48_crossfire_performance/index.html

P 45 is x8 limit . X48 is full x16.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/267026-33-4770-crossfire

I think if you go with the 4770s that x8 would be enough but I can't deny there would be a little improvement with x16 (which you probably wouldn't notice unless you were really overclocking and playing something that was a bit above your computers league). It is up to you to decide whether to give the extra 50 or so dollars for it.

[Tatsujin]

Yea I thought that was funny. Well if you saw that 370 US dollar video card, the 5000 HD from ATI I'd definitely hit that for myself and give my two video cards to my brother. Tho' it was just a freaking nightmare to put this mobo inside and I don't want to switch anything I have. That's why I want to stick to nVidia because my mobo doesn't take ATI, and another reason is I want to get rid of these two video cards so I'd rather give them to my brother and get myself 1 overpowered videocard.

[Xtras]

What if you gave your existing computer to your brother (paint it a different color and tell him it is new; metaphorically of course, you would be surprised what just a new case can do in such situations) and build yourself a fancy brand new computer?

[fohfoh]

What if you gave your existing computer to your brother (paint it a different color and tell him it is new; metaphorically of course, you would be surprised what just a new case can do in such situations) and build yourself a fancy brand new computer?

Or... swap cases? Old components in new case, new components in old case?

[Tatsujin]

What if you gave your existing computer to your brother (paint it a different color and tell him it is new; metaphorically of course, you would be surprised what just a new case can do in such situations) and build yourself a fancy brand new computer?

I was thinking of that, too. I'd probably have him pay me 500 dollars for this computer, tho' I'd have to take only the HDD's away because I have my files on them. Corei 7, one ram of 4GB (don't wanna purchase everything at once, will overkill me), that 5000 HD video card I linked up there, ... now a Fan, nice looking case and a PSU, probably the one I linked up there should be fine enough.

Edit -- So he agreed. He'll be paying me 500 dollars. I want to set up a really nice computer for myself.

5000 HD videocard (1 for now, I want CrossFire), I'll need a good mobo with 16 or 24 G of RAM max (I'll get one piece of RAM at a time). Core i7, Fan, ... what type of PSU should I have?

Oh, and the price wouldn't matter to me. So it can be really high. Tho' remember I'm not getting both video cards and all of the ram at once, rather 1 piece of each to support my budget.

Or we go with something cheapier. How about this mobo?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128396

Would ATI work on it?

[bloody000]

Oh and this is good too:

http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/1472/intel_p45_vs_x48_crossfire_performance/index.html

P 45 is x8 limit . X48 is full x16.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/267026-33-4770-crossfire

I think if you go with the 4770s that x8 would be enough but I can't deny there would be a little improvement with x16 (which you probably wouldn't notice unless you were really overclocking and playing something that was a bit above your computers league). It is up to you to decide whether to give the extra 50 or so dollars for it.

The new 5870 gets a performance hit of 2% when going from 16X to 8X.

[Xtras]

Or we go with something cheapier. How about this mobo?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128396

Would ATI work on it?

Yes, but you lose a heck of a lot of useful features that the one I posted has for a savings of only 20 USD, and you lose much of the ability to upgrade your PC. I remember you said you hated installing the mobo so...

Do note that whether the card will work has a great deal to do with your PSU as well. 650 watts should be fine for the graphics card but it matters as lot on your processor and how much memory you use (and other PCI-E addins). Do double check your power usages, and make especially sure that you have a good enough 12v rail.