GPU Advice for Gaming-heavy Rig

**Che Roriniho** · 05-10-2009, 16:06

I would change the whole thing (sorry). DDR3 RAM makes basically no visible difference that DDR2, and you could easily get DDR2 RAM of similar speed for a lot less. I'd also reccomend the Q6600, as it's a lot cheaper and just as fast.

I would also recomend getting the MSI P45 NEO-F DDR2 board, and 4-8 Gigs of RAM with it. Then just whack in a Q6600, OC the bejesus out of it (Can go up to 3 GHz with few problems, if you pay a little (£15) extra for an aftermarket cooler.

If you DO decide to go the DDR3 route, then in order to achieve best results, you need your RAM in sets of 3s, so I'd go for 6-12 Gigs there, but remember, DD3 is quite pricey.

For OS, I would seriously reccomend Vista Premium 64bit. it allows you to use DX10, which will soon be the standard, so if you want future-proofing, then get Vista. Also, networking's a breeze. Alternatively, use Win7, but I haven't heard much about that.

**Husar** · 05-10-2009, 20:35

Originally Posted by Che Roriniho

I would change the whole thing (sorry). DDR3 RAM makes basically no visible difference that DDR2, and you could easily get DDR2 RAM of similar speed for a lot less. I'd also reccomend the Q6600, as it's a lot cheaper and just as fast.

I would also recomend getting the MSI P45 NEO-F DDR2 board, and 4-8 Gigs of RAM with it. Then just whack in a Q6600, OC the bejesus out of it (Can go up to 3 GHz with few problems, if you pay a little (£15) extra for an aftermarket cooler.

If you DO decide to go the DDR3 route, then in order to achieve best results, you need your RAM in sets of 3s, so I'd go for 6-12 Gigs there, but remember, DD3 is quite pricey.

For OS, I would seriously reccomend Vista Premium 64bit. it allows you to use DX10, which will soon be the standard, so if you want future-proofing, then get Vista. Also, networking's a breeze. Alternatively, use Win7, but I haven't heard much about that.

If I'm not mistaken the Q6600 was discontinued a while ago, don't know about Mousse but personally I wouldn't bother with overclocking until the warranty is gone, especially not if the thing is fast enough anyway.

And on DDR3, if I'm not mistaken only the i7s have triple channel controllers, so if you go for a non-i7 system with a dual channel memory controller you'd still go for 4 or 8GB instead of 6 or 12.

And I wouldn't advise anyone to buy Vista Ultimate now, I'd use whatever is available now and then get a copy of Windows 7 64bit or maybe even use the Win7 RC until it comes out but investing in Vista (and especially ultimate with all the superfluous expensive features) right now seems like a bad idea to me considering that Win 7 seems to be better and out soon.

**Che Roriniho** · 05-10-2009, 21:13

Yeh, avoid Ultimate like the plague. It sucks. Premium is just right really. Quite quick too, especially x64.

(Let's not be über-wit with our language - LEN)

**Husar** · 05-10-2009, 23:05

Oh sorry, you wrote Premium and I read it as Ultimate, heh.

**Mouzafphaerre** · 05-11-2009, 02:00

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Sorry to disappoint both of you guys but any kind of V!st@ won't pollute my comps.

As for the RAM channels, I'm pretty sure dual would do, as Housse says.
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**Husar** · 05-11-2009, 10:15

I didn't want ou to buy vista if you don't have it already, I said use whatever you already have, then get Windows 7 when it's out.

**Mouzafphaerre** · 05-11-2009, 23:24

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Deal.

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**rabcarl** · 05-23-2009, 05:33

Well, anything you buy is going to be outdated soon; it's just a matter of time. I remember when my dad bought his first computer he spent loads and loads of money on it (a whopping 64 megs of ram if I remember right lol.) That being said, if you buy something more pedestrian, it won't sting as much when you have to replace your system as you inevitably will in a couple years.