Critique my "quiet screamer" selections, please

[Teffy]

Greetings!

I would like to order an Extreme Quiet SPCR Core 2 PC from endpcnoise.com (based on Mike Chin's Model One), and would appreciate your help with choosing options. http://www.endpcnoise.com/cgi-bin/e/std ... core2.html

I use my PC for home stuff: surfing, word processing, and a lot of digital image manipulation (my image files are 16 MB each - yikes!). I also want to use my two 19" CRT's in dual monitor mode (I'm a color correction junkie thus the dinosaurs). Please tell me if the options listed below seem right for those purposes. Changes recommended by Luke at endpcnoise are noted within the list:

• Asus P5B-E Motherboard (Should I pay and extra $89 for the Asus P5B Deluxe/WiFi-AP? That just allows a wireless connection to my router, right?)

• Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 2.13GHz 2MB CPU (Luke recommends "upgrading to the E6600, as it is a much better price-point, especially since it has the 4 MB of CPU cache instead of 2MB.")

• Scythe Ninja PLUS Rev.B CPU Cooler SCNJ-1100P

• 4GB ( four 1GB ) PC-5300 Kingston (Luke "would actually recommend only 2 gigs of memory, but I would change it over to the PC-6400(pc-6400 is a bit faster, and actually worth the upgrade price, pc-8500 is way over priced")

• 74GB SATA 10K RPM WD (w/Copper Smart Drive)

• Western Digital Quiet 500GB 7200RPM 16MB SATA 2 Hard Drive - Suspension mount

• Antec Neo 430 Watt Quiet Power Supply

• Windows Vista Home Premium Edition DVD

• Antec Solo P150 Black Tower Case (Luke says "The P180 is a much better case overall; it is just a bit larger. It has much better airflow than the P150. If you are planning on using a smartdrive 2002c (with the 10k drive, or on one of our other drives for that matter) I would highly recommend using the antec P180 case instead of the P150. There are definitely more heat problems with the P150 and the smartdrive enclosures together. If you don't plan on using an enclosure, the P150 should be just fine. Just make sure not to use the suspension mounting (before shipping, you can move them to the suspension mounting once you get your machine) as Shipping with suspension mounting can be dangerous for the drives.") And, I do have room for the larger P180.

• XFX 7600GS 256 Meg 2 DVI PCIE (Fanless) video

• Install Acoustipack Deluxe V2

• Nexus 92mm Quiet Front Intake Fan #1 (installed)

• Samsung (BLACK) Quiet LightScribe 18X DVDRW (Should I pay an extra $28 for SATA i.e. better airflow?)

Thanks for the help!
Teffy

[tehfire]

Hey, let's get down to the nitty-gritty, shall we?

1. P5B-E: I would try to find something else. My buddy built a system with 4x1GB DDR2-800 and an E6600, and he's been having issues in Vista 64. He can either have 3GB working, or 4GB but lose all PCI slots. Also, I'm not sure if you're into overclocking but my friend's board could only get to around a 370MHz FSB. I have been an Asus fan for a long time, but if I were you I'd look into Gigabyte (ugh, I know their board colors and heatsinks are horrible) or MSI.

2. E6400: It really is up to you. You could easily overclock the E6400 to well beyond E6600 levels, but if you're not into overclocking then you wouldn't see this gain. The E6600 probably has 15-20% more performance than the E6400 at stock speeds. Your call.

3. Ninja Rev. B: I'm sure you've read the horror stories about using the Ninja on the 775 socket. From what I gather about half or less of the people can't mount it right. Personally I'd get a Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme, but that's $60 and doesn't include the fan. I have a Ninja Rev B on my Socket 478 socket. I bought it for $40 and it comes with a fan, and I'm very happy with it. Personally, I'd go with the Ninja and make sure to mount it while it was outside the case (make sure that the pins go all the way through), but it's up to you.

4. If you're not overclocking, PC-5300 is perfect. In dual-channel mode, it perfectly sync up with the processor's memory bandwidth. If you overclock, then PC-6400 is the way to go, as it will sync up with an overclocked FSB.

You'll have to ask somebody else about the hard drives...apparently, I'm the only one who finds hard drive seek noises cozy

5. Power supply works, more than enough for your system.

6. Solo is good. Keep in mind, though, that if you use this case then a lot of hot air will be pushed out through your power supply, so it may ramp up. Your options are to get a power supply with a 120mm fan (Seasonic S12-550 recommended) or duct the Antec.

7. I love XFX, I can't count how many video cards I've bought. If you're gaming, this'll be by far the bottleneck in your system, but if you just need a display driver with moderately good 3d this is a good card. Personally I'm using a 7600GT.

Hope this helps...This is probably too much information but my girlfriend's out of town so I find myself passing the time on websites. Haha yeah, I'm a sucker.

[mexell]

I would favor the E6420 instead of the E6400 right now because it has 4 MB of cache like the E6600...

[ronrem]

I'd be a bit wary of speed overkill. You are not doing things a 3000 Venice can't do quite well...so moving up the line in core 2 seems a bit unneeded,and for that matter-going with over 2 gb RAM and the Raptor may yeild a noticable benefit only a few times in a typical week---yet add to cost/heat/noise full time.

A larger case tends to have some thermal advantages. You won't notice a 100 w lightbulb's effect heating a room but id it's in a 2 cubic ft box---it heats it up real fast. With a case you also factor in air-paths,obstructions.

Typically if you have 2 800 rpm fans as exhaust in the rear....it will make less noise than 1 rear exhaust and 1 front intake. The front fan is closer to your ears. Further...you get more total flow with the 2 exhausts. Variables such as specific location-obstructions,location of passive inlets will be of some significance.