New PC stuff.

[AKADeadly]

So I'm thinking about getting some new stuff for my PC:

Mobo:
Intel BOXDX48BT2 LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX DDR3

CPU:
Intel Core2 Quad Q9400 2.66GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W

Ram:
CORSAIR XMS3 DHX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit

Hard Drives:
1xWestern Digital VelociRaptor WD1500HLFS 150GB 10000 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s

2xSeagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31000340AS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s

And a Blu-Ray drive:
LG Black 6X Blu-ray DVD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM & 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Model GGC-H20L

Comments? Suggestions? Thoughts?

[Richard_Rahl]

You are wishing a Quad core of 2.66 Ghz. Core 2 and 3 will be idle 85-95% of the time, since most software (including, but not limited to games) is not optimised for running on multiple cores. Thus I think you should choose for a Core 2 Duo of 3GHz or higher. TDP of 65W, so it saves on your energy bill compared to that one you pointed to.
Though check what FSB the model of your choice has, because else you pay more for that memory then necessary.

That Seagate disk seems to be a larger (and faster) variation on mine, so I can tell you it is a good one. Though it is not that silent, so when it is on load it is quite letting you know it's at work.

[Akherousin]

wait for i7

[AKADeadly]

WTF is an i7 lol?

[Richard_Rahl]

new cpu with the Nehalem architecture. Here is an article, not the best but I didn't want to search that long for an english article (I have read one in a Dutch magazine that seems to better then this one seems at a quick look). [ Hardware.Info ] - Inside the Nehalem: Intel's New Core i7 Microarchitecture
Expect it to be very expensive.

[GMtm]

Originally Posted by AKADeadly

So I'm thinking about getting some new stuff for my PC:

Mobo:
Intel BOXDX48BT2 LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX DDR3

CPU:
Intel Core2 Quad Q9400 2.66GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W

Ram:
CORSAIR XMS3 DHX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit

Hard Drives:
1xWestern Digital VelociRaptor WD1500HLFS 150GB 10000 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s

2xSeagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31000340AS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s

And a Blu-Ray drive:
LG Black 6X Blu-ray DVD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM & 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Model GGC-H20L

Comments? Suggestions? Thoughts?

CPU is hardly a step up from your existing part. Apart from 1 or 2 games coming in the next 12 months, mainly Rage and Alan Wake, Dual core is still the target platform. Save your pennies until there is a radically new architecture, 6 or 8 cores and loads of cache. For the time-being stick with what you got and just invest in some nice cooling to ramp up your current CPU beyond 4GHz.

The DDR3 RAM is not going to offer you anything dramatic over DDR2. DDR3 is still pretty high latency and for what you pay for you will not see that much value for the huge asknig price for low latency 2GB modules.

However, I must say those new 150GB raptors are pretty hot stuff, why not spend just a little money on those 2 storage options and wait until Intel release their 8 core beast and get that aswell as their upcoming Larabee 16 core GPU!

[AKADeadly]

Alright so if I decided to keep my current CPU what would I need to achieve some serious overclocking?

[KamisoriX]

i7...it's only 2 weeks til lrelease. But you need a new motherboard for it

[GMtm]

Originally Posted by AKADeadly

Alright so if I decided to keep my current CPU what would I need to achieve some serious overclocking?

On any half decent fan system you should be able to ramp up to 3.33GHz (333 x 10) on stock voltages. Set your RAM multiplier to 266 x 2.5 (833MHz) and make sure you have the right voltage set for your DIMMs it should POST ok, bt obviously this is heavily dependant on the quality of all of your components.

If you really want to get to 4GHz, which will improve FPS in Crysis dramatically, then you need to get yourself a watercooling kit. Slaymate will help advise on these as he has done a lot of testing on system cooling over the years.

[Magus]

Originally Posted by Richard_Rahl

You are wishing a Quad core of 2.66 Ghz. Core 2 and 3 will be idle 85-95% of the time, since most software (including, but not limited to games) is not optimised for running on multiple cores. Thus I think you should choose for a Core 2 Duo of 3GHz or higher. TDP of 65W, so it saves on your energy bill compared to that one you pointed to.
Though check what FSB the model of your choice has, because else you pay more for that memory then necessary.

That Seagate disk seems to be a larger (and faster) variation on mine, so I can tell you it is a good one. Though it is not that silent, so when it is on load it is quite letting you know it's at work.

If you see what he comes up with you don't need to worry about the energy bill. And they won't be idle, just have to set your affinity right.

And I kind of love the fact I have a quadcore right now with the new Adobe CS4, and HD video projects in premiere and after effects.