New Computer

[Azathoth]

I'm thinking of getting a new computer.

I need to know:

a. If the below components are all compatible and should any be removed/replaced with something else.
b. How many hard drives a computer can have and if I could transfer the hard drive from my old PC and use it alongside any new ones. What is the difference between a hard drive and a data hard drive?
c. Where I can get computer parts assembled, and how much that would cost.
d. Whether or not I should by overclocked parts. What parts can be overclocked?
e. What is a PhysX card and should I buy it?
f. Should I get 8 GB RAM? Why is it possible to have 24 GB RAM, who would need that?
g. Wireless Network Cards are...?

Expert advice would be most appreciated.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Case: Will I need a really big tower for all this?

CPU: Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition

Cooling: Some kind of liquid cooling seems to be necessary for such a powerhouse?

Power: Thermaltake 1200 Watt

GPU: 2 GeForce GTX 285 2GB (Is there a benefit to having two graphics cards? What is the difference between the 2GB and the 1GB version? Between the 285 and 295 that justifies spending extra hundreds?)

Motherboard: Asus P6T Intel X58

RAM: 6 GB DDR 3

Hard Drives: My old one, 2TB Sata-II hard drive, ?Extreme Performance Raid-0 with 4 Identical Hard Drives: 2TB (500GBx4) SATA-II ?

Optical Drives: 16X DVDROM, LG 22X DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW Dual Layer Drive

OS: Windows 7 64-bit

Sound Card: Should I get any specific sound cards? I heard the Creative Labs sound cards have a lot of issues.

Mouse, Monitor, Keyboard: Eh, whatever.

Speakers: Should I get some?

Power Protection: ???

External USB Ports: Where would this be on the case exactly?

[pevergreen]

Ok:

a. All seem to be
b. You can use your old hard drives, thats not a problem. How many it can take is limited by space in the case and the motherboard
c. Local repairs shop? If you give a location, maybe someone can give more detail
d. You can overclock parts yourself, if you look to overclock, better to get normal clocked ones to start with, as they generally charge you extra for having done it. Graphics card, CPU, memory can be overclocked.
e. PhysX is part of the nvidea thing. Its fine.
f. Triple channel motherboard. Get either 3 2gig sticks, or 6 1gig. Or 6 2gig.
g. Wireless network cards simply gives you access to wireless networks. Bluetooth etc.

You'll need a full ATX tower, if you plan to go 2 285 or 295's I'd reccomend a big spacey tower. Also check dimensions of the graphics cards in relation to your motherboard. I have 3 PCI-E slots on my mobo, but only one that can fit my graphics card.

I would go this case: (because I love it and it runs smooth) http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/product.php?id=Njkz

Antec 1200. I can't hear it running on (fan speed) medium, and inside is cold.

I wouldnt bother with a dedicated sound card.


Do you know if this is all within your budget? You're spending a lot, if you were willing to sacifrice a little bit of grunt, you could save quite a bit of money. Top end i7 8-- (something something) is only just below the 975 in performance, but cheaper.

edit:

USB ports are dependent on case for front, otherwise on the back panel.

Just built most of the computer,

Antec 1200 case
Thermaltake 1200W power
That mobo
That cpu
No hard drives
No CD drives
Two Gigabyte 295GTX. 1796MB
No monitor/mice/keyboard
12GB Corsair DDR3 ram (1600MHZ)

3945 AUD

[Azathoth]

Local repairs shop? If you give a location, maybe someone can give more detail

Uhh, NYC?

I would go this case: (because I love it and it runs smooth) http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/product.php?id=Njkz

Bigger and badder than the rest, Antec's full-tower Twelve Hundred gaming case crushes the competition, with twelve drive bays, seven expansion slots and space for the largest graphics cards. The Twelve Hundred also fits both standard size power supplies as well as the CP Series, Antec's new form factor PSU exclusively designed for Antec cases. As every gamer knows, maximum cooling is a must, and the Twelve Hundred's got that covered with a top Big Boy 200™ blue LED cooling fan, two rear blue LED 120mm fans, and three front blue LED 120mm fans! The Twelve Hundred also features a perforated front bezel with washable air filters, front USB, eSATA and HD audio ports for extra convenience.

Does that mean it can hold 12 hard drives?!!

I looked at the picture, and...where exactly do the CD drives go?

And what about liquid cooling? Anyone? Is it necessary here?

[pevergreen]

With the 1200, it really isnt. You can certainly do it, it even accomodates for it. But the fans are just so big and badass that they really arent needed.


Yes, 4 cages of 3 bays. Comes with parts to swap out. Can have the setup there. I have two disc drives at the top, but I could have up to 6.

[Azathoth]

CPU

GPU: #1 and #2 Normal or #2 OC

Cooling: ???

Case: ???

Power

Motherboard

PhysX Card - Isn't this actually redundant if I have a GeForce video card?

Memory: 4 (2x2) GB RAM + 4 (2x2) GB RAM

Hard Drives: Western Digital 2 TB + Slightly Worse 2TB

To be continued...



Something else I don't understand - if discs go into the hard drives, what are the optical drives for?

[pevergreen]

Discs go into the CD/DVD/BRD drives, but the cages can be set up for 5.25 or 3.5 (I think those are the measurements.

I'll grab a pic now i guess

thats a different mobo as well.

Sets of RAM sticks in 3's depending on mobo, 4 may do it, otherwise 3/6.

Why 2tb HDD?
4 big pictures in spoiler
1. Side view of case
2. Frontish view of case
3. Some parts not inside the case
4. My setup. Dual 23", G15, G9x, G35. Awesome. And its all orange.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Lemur]

Personally, I like quiet. Can't stand a PC that sounds like a leaf blower. With that in mind, I recommend this case. Big enough for all of your components, and quiet. And pleasantly lacking in bling. I'll take "quietly menacing" over "pimped out" any day of the week.

[pevergreen]

Bah. Antec 1200 all the way. Completely silent on medium speeds.

[Azathoth]

And pleasantly lacking in bling. I'll take "quietly menacing" over "pimped out" any day of the week.

My current case is one of those ultra-austere workplace-type things, so I wouldn't mind one with fancy decals and glowing side panels.

thats a different mobo as well.

It's basically the same motherboard (X58), just made by ECGA instead of Asus. I think the only difference is the number of PCI slots or something like that.

Why 2tb HDD?

4TB space means I'll never have to uninstall a game to make room again!

Man, I remember when 80 GB was still a lot :P.

[pevergreen]

I remember days before gigs.


I definately think you should check space for the physical cards on the mobo though. The heatsink on my mobo prevents me from using slot 1, sata slots from using slot 2, so it just fits in slot 3. Half in half out. Not all the pins are fully connected. :S

[Azathoth]

Maybe I could arrange it beforehand with a "repair shop" and they'll be able to tell me if it'll all work?

[pevergreen]

Maybe, maybe not.

Some are ok, some are not. I wouldn't trust one I didnt know further than I could throw him.

[Beskar]

Same as pevergreen. They will put a hefty mark-up on anything as well. Going to a computer shop is like writing the words "Sucker" on your forehead while they fondle you out of your money.

Only way to get things cheap is through various places which are cheap, computer fairs/markets, and otherthings, knowing exactly what you want and the price to pay.

[pevergreen]

I know of newegg for the ewe ess aye.

[Tellos Athenaios]

I would suggest avoiding fancy side panels and the like: they cost additional money (notice that the cases with such panels are invariably cheaper), power (more money), and are probably rather annoying if you want to watch movies on your PC, not to mention boring if not embarrassing rather fast...

Furthermore such panels certainly do not do much good for the actual qualities of the case itself: typically the audio insulation (good cases are made in such a way that the case itself dampens the audio effects from the fans and reduces noise levels) is noticeably weaker, and the panel may also interfere with airflow (which means that your fans are running faster than they would do in an equivalent case without such a side panel).

[pevergreen]

Again, Antec 1200.




I'll seriously get a video of it running.

[Azathoth]

What I meant was aesthetically pleasing cases like this one.

http://www.moddingcomputer.hu/images...x_sagitta2.jpg

Certainly better looking than this thing.

[Olaf The Great]

What exactly do you do with 24 gigs of ram? I don't even make use of 5

Run 3 instances of Empire Total War while running an entire World of Warcraft server from your basement?

[pevergreen]

Video editing/rendering


mostly e-peen though.

[Husar]

What I meant was aesthetically pleasing cases like this one.

http://www.moddingcomputer.hu/images...x_sagitta2.jpg

Certainly better looking than this thing.

No, it's certainly looking more gamey/childish than the second thing. My computer doesn't have to look like I'm some alien freak.

[ICantSpellDawg]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811107001

I bought the black version of this Titan Water case. It's the only case that I know of with a built in water cooling system. It's pretty cool and makes hardly any noise at all.

It's also pretty cool to have a radiator in the side of your PC.