can you guys give me some suggestions?

[the_tyrant]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs766.ash1/165773_163417573702746_100001035136448_352514_6361 079_n.jpg

what do you guys think?
This is going to be a gaming rig with some occasional number crunching

[Arclight]

Any details on the PSU? :06:

And why the Xeon? I don't have any experience with them, but I think you can get a better performing CPU for that money.

[the_tyrant]

Any details on the PSU? :06:

And why the Xeon? I don't have any experience with them, but I think you can get a better performing CPU for that money.

the PSU came with the case
585w, should be enough right?

and i heard that Xeons have a huge overclocking potential, and its not that much more expensive, so i guess its a good choice

[Gerald]

Should you choose graphics cards, so is the GeForce GTX 480 a good choice, even if it is not on your list.

[Tessa]

Looks more like a case for number crunching with some gaming thrown in. Xeon's while they can be used fine for gaming, are suited more for math; i.e. large graphics (not the gaming kind) or long number computation. Without ECC registered ram its pretty much a waste to get a cpu that's function is geared towards number crunching and graphics (like an old school SGI workstation); its like buying a Corvette and only putting 87 octane gas in it - you'll never get the full capacity out of it without it.

While water cooling doesn't appear to be on the top of your list, I'd still recommend one of the cases anyways - pretty much any mountain mods case (http://www.mountainmods.com/). It'd be the most expensive item on your list, but will be the last case you ever have to buy. Though I put in all water cooling when I bought mine they can be air cooled just the same. Personally I got sick of buying a new case each time I wanted to make a better machine and finally found a company that made pretty much the ultimate cases that could handle any future improvements I might want to make.

Assuming that what you have there is close to or what you have to budget, I'd get an i-7 instead of the Zeon and put the difference in $$ into a better case, real power supply or a 2nd video card. Personally I would use a WD Raptor drive as my sole drive (granted I've got 2 gb worth of storage on my server, not a luxuary most people have. 5 500 gb drives on a real Raid card, still have space for 1 more drive on the card :) ) so the only thing on it is the OS and some spare space for moving files around when needed or temporary storage.

[FIREWALL]

With what else your considering the Video card is a bad choice.

[Arclight]

Looks more like a case for number crunching with some gaming thrown in. Xeon's while they can be used fine for gaming, are suited more for math; i.e. large graphics (not the gaming kind) or long number computation. Without ECC registered ram its pretty much a waste to get a cpu that's function is geared towards number crunching and graphics (like an old school SGI workstation); its like buying a Corvette and only putting 87 octane gas in it - you'll never get the full capacity out of it without it.

While water cooling doesn't appear to be on the top of your list, I'd still recommend one of the cases anyways - pretty much any mountain mods case (http://www.mountainmods.com/). It'd be the most expensive item on your list, but will be the last case you ever have to buy. Though I put in all water cooling when I bought mine they can be air cooled just the same. Personally I got sick of buying a new case each time I wanted to make a better machine and finally found a company that made pretty much the ultimate cases that could handle any future improvements I might want to make.

Assuming that what you have there is close to or what you have to budget, I'd get an i-7 instead of the Zeon and put the difference in $$ into a better case, real power supply or a 2nd video card. Personally I would use a WD Raptor drive as my sole drive (granted I've got 2 gb worth of storage on my server, not a luxuary most people have. 5 500 gb drives on a real Raid card, still have space for 1 more drive on the card :) ) so the only thing on it is the OS and some spare space for moving files around when needed or temporary storage.
That, basically: Think you'll get better performance out of an i7; leave the server CPU's for a server.

Also, a good PSU costs more than that case+PSU combi there, even without the discount. 99% sure that whatever is supplied with the case is a <censored> pile of <censored>. It's not just a matter of looking at it's Whattage, which is a purely imaginative number with a cheap unit anyway.

[Tessa]

That, basically: Think you'll get better performance out of an i7; leave the server CPU's for a server.

Also, a good PSU costs more than that case+PSU combi there, even without the discount. 99% sure that whatever is supplied with the case is a <censored> pile of <censored>. It's not just a matter of looking at it's Whattage, which is a purely imaginative number with a cheap unit anyway.

Only thing that stock PSU is going to be good for is if you wire it up to power up on its own (bridge the #5 & 6 pin) so that it provides power only to something like the disks for a dual power supply setup. It's not going to cut your main PSU need much, maybe knock it down 50 watts from a 750 to a 700; nothing much more with that kind of setup.

A really good PSU can be a pricey investment, for better or worse you (generally) get out of it what you put into it. Its not to say that expensive ones are always the best, more like cheaply built ones are a poor place to cut corners. Wattage is important but Amperage is really the key factor. A 700w psu with 60a will run circles around a 1kw psu with only 30a; which is generally the type of psu they tried to stick you with in a pre-built case with a generic psu.

[Arclight]

Exactly. Not too mention unstable voltages can damage any and all other components.

Seriously, building a good system starts with picking a good PSU. Don't let it be an afterthought, or it just might cost you your entire machine.

[Gerald]

the PSU came with the case
585w, should be enough right?

and i heard that Xeons have a huge overclocking potential, and its not that much more expensive, so i guess its a good choice I would probably choose a minimum of 750W

[antikristuseke]

If it is a well built 585w unit you will be fine as far as overclocking is concerned. Just going for extra watage on the power supply just becuause makes no sense.

[Gerald]

Having the extra W is no less the contrary, when there are lots of different components, the total who need delivery of Ampere

[the_tyrant]

thanks guys, I'm making the suggested adjustments right now