Hey guys, I was just curious as to which RAM/PSU I should be looking at purchasing for the following rig: Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe Processor MSI GeForce 8800GTX Nvidia 680i SLI ATX motherboard Lian Li V1200B Plus II Black Aluminum ATX Mid Tower Computer Case Western Digital Raptor 36.7GB 10000RPM HDD (I already have it, so don't recommend I get a 400Gig for the OS) NEC 18X Optical Drive Logitech MX Revolution ZALMAN 9700 LED 2 Ball CPU Cooler - Retail I was looking at the Corsair Dominator Series TWIN2X2048-6400C3DF 2GB for the RAM. I'm new to Intel, and not sure how they compare to AMD, but my biggest concern is what I've been reading. Is it true that I don't really need high end ram to overclock the 6400? I'm trying to get the most bang for my buck here, and I want to overclock the E6400 to at least 3.0GHz on the 680i board. From what I've read this should be achievable. What kind of ram would I need as a minimum to do it. Also, I'm looking for a PSU that is modular to power this machine, and possibly SLI in the future. Thanks in advance for any insight.
Something like an Enermax 600W, (assuming you are running one card, but if you insist on SLI readyness, i'm not sure but you might need an 800w+) Ram I use GSkill PC6400 HZ 2GB (2*1GB) Very good for overclocking. I noticed you mentioned the E6400 then the E6300 which one are you getting?
Typo, 6400, 6300 doesn't have a high enough multiplier from what i've read, and it's only like $40 cheaper on newegg anyways. [edit- fixed it in original post]
Well the Gskill stuff i've got is good, i'm not that RAM aware just now, but from what i've seen GSkill is still favoured by the hard-core overclocking teams in the far east, i'm not sure why but it seems to go on forever.
Do I need to get a PSU with a push pull configuration, as this would probably suit this case a little better, since there's no where to pull the fresh air from on the top or bottom.
I am not that good with PSU's talk to either 'Bbq.of.DooM' Or 'specofdust' about powersupplys they are probably the most knowledgeable.
Okay, I'm just concerned about good airflow in that lian li case, since the PSU is so important, i'm thinking about changing over to the new Silverstone TJ07 instead. We'll see what they say, once they comment on the thread.
Ok, for your rig, I'd recommend a Corsair HX 520 if you do not plan on sli'ing 8800's. If you do, I recommend the HX 620 + molex-->pci-e adaptors. If you do not need the fancy cables, I recommend the Seasonic S12-EP 550 or 650.
Is a 620w PSU _really_ going to be able to power SLI'd 8800GTX's + moderate overclock on CPU + Power hungry 680i chipset? Memory wise, on the stock multiplier you'll need 375 FSB for 3ghz. You should get a little more from the CPU than that, running 1:1 at 400 FSB shouldnt be a problem, which will give you 3.2ghz. As for which ram to choose, pretty much any cas4 @ 6400 ram will be fine. No point in getting higher end stuff, only adds complications to an overclock. Just grab the cheapest branded kit you can imho
For the most part yes. However, under heavy load, it could be in trouble. Two 8800GTX's in SLI are power hungry like anything, so I think you're more looking at 700W+ if you see yourself upgrading to SLI. However, if you're not, then 620W will be more than sufficient. See this.
I wouldn't go by a psu calculator over the words of our PSU experts. PSU calculators aren't that great.
How'd this be? Another question, does anyone foresee it being a problem with airflow having a PSU with a fan on the top or bottom in the case I have chosen? Another question, if I don't need to go SLi, is it worth getting an 680i board? Or should I just go for the P5B?
That would be perfect. The differences between the S12-EP and the M12's, are that the M12's are modular, and employ a 60mm fan in the front to help reduce the deadspot. It's not an issue unless you have an EXTREMELY power consuming rig (consider this: A p4 prescott and a 6800gt consumes under 300w), it won't spin up. if it does spin up, it is still quite quiet.
