Tommorow I'm going to order:

Corsair Dominator 4GB 240 pin DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)
$84.00 - 30 rebate.

Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P LA 775 Intel P45 ATX
$134.99 - 20 rebate

Intel Core Duo 8500 3.16....
$188.99

Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme CPU Cooler, for Intel LGA775 Processors, Model: U120E-775-BP
49.99
   

Bgears b-COOL BR 120mm Case Fan, w/ one 3 to 4 Pins Connector and; 4 Screws, Temperature and; Rotation Speed Readout
18.99

I can order Power supply and Graphics Card next month.

If I had to buy right noow it would probably be the EVGA 01G-P3-1280-AR GeForce GTX 280 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card for $324.99 from New Egg....

Thought I owed those of you who helped me look at systems lately a little status report.

S~

Gunny

After sleeping on it - EVGA 512-P3-N871-AR GeForce 9800 GTX(G92) 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail 159.99
or
EVGA 512-P3-N976-AR GeForce 9800 GT Superclocked Edition 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail 134.99

less than half price of the 280 listed above.  The 9800 GT above is a single card, where as the 9800 GTX is a double width card.  I can't say that I understand what the extra-width buys me - I know it's more processing - mini-sli maybe - in any event everyone's tests with higher memory and double width cards reveals less performance on FSX/Il2/BS than what you can achieve with the more expensive cards.

I'm even thinking about this recertified card - achieved best frame rates on FSX.....

Recertified: EVGA 512-P3-N841-RX GeForce 8800GTS (G92) 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

If I can force myself to buy and older card, then I can buy a new one in a few months when it becomes apparant which way simulation and hardware are going.

S~

Gunny

Well, after much hemming and hawing (and gnashing of teeth), I stuck to the model that I started with - namely:  How inexpensively can I put together a new system with high performance in simulations - as a first priority.  2nd objective was to minimize driver changes, tweaking, etc... so that I can spend more time enjoying the simulations - not tweaking my rig.
    

    GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
    Item #: N82E16813128358
    Limited 30-Day Return Policy    
    $134.99
plus $20 rebate

    PC Power & Cooling S75CF 750W EPS12V SLI NVIDIA SLI Certified (Dual 8800 GTX and below) CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
    Item #: N82E16817341011
    $109.99
plus $40 rebate

    CORSAIR DOMINATOR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X4096-8500C5D - Retail
    Item #: N82E16820145214
    $84.00
plus $30 rebate

    Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8500 - Retail
    Item #: N82E16819115036
    $187.99

519.96 with shipping
- 90.00 rebates
-----------------
429.96

I think I got off well.  I still need a boot Raptor, Optical, and Graphics card.  I can obtain those next week. 

The hardest decision I had to make was to forgo full 2 X PCIE2 - full up SLI/crossfire.  I saved $150.00 on MB alone that way, not counting probably an extra $100.00 for what I would have bought in power supply.  As it was I got a sweet deal on a 750 watt PCpower&Cooling PS - $69.00 - versus about 250 for the other options.  I believe there's about a 5% change that this marked down P/S may have to be RMA'd - but that's ok.

Bottom line was/is that I cannot find a single application that I know I will run which benefits significantly from SLI or Crossfire at the resolutions I will run (1920X1200 max) on one monitor (this rig has more than enough power to add a second montor to carry Shkval/ABRIS - and I plan to add a much smaller monitor below my 27").

The only things that made me seriously consider SLI - are what is unknown at this time, namely what the effect of SLI/Crossfire/Quadcore will be on Storm of War and Rise of Flight.  The only other applications that I know I'm going to run are Condor (not very graphics intensive) and maybe, maybe FSX.

I also don't want too many fans blowing when I have the computer on, and am recording music - an extra graphics card will push that over the edge for me and add a significant amount of Wattage being sucked up, every hour I have the computer on.

So, for once, I went the cheap route - let's see how that works out for me.  If I have to buy another MB later, and a second graphics card, so be it - my investment is not that large in those items.

Thanks Eco and Gozr for all your help and insight....

S~

Gunny

Whoa. . .great news Gunny!

It will be so much nicer than a 3 year old laptop!

At this point you can't really do better than the 9800GTX+ in things like IL-2 and FSX, I haven't seen any performance data/reviews about how things scale in BlackShark, but I can tell you that overclocks on my video card didn't make much difference in fps at all. They don't make much difference in IL-2 either, in my case I had to run 3.7GHz or higher on my CPU before the added video card overclocks really did much to increase performance. IL-2 does utilize SLI well, but with your machine, you will be able to max all settings you want, at 1920*1200 res, and have no problems unless you want to run 16XAA which you certainly won't want to do. With your hardware, I don't think you'll need to limit you overclock artificially. . .you should be able to go to 3.6 right away without a second thought, probably without adding any voltage to the CPU, maybe you'll need to add some to the NB, but I wouldn't be surprised if you can just bump the FSB and call it good. Set your FSB to 379 times the 9.5x multiplier that will give you 3.6 GHz on the CPU, and that OC you should be able to play anything you own as high as it goes. For FSX which will use all the CPU you throw at it, then you might wanna experiment with more, but for IL-2, BlackShark, Condor, etc, there is really no need or benefit for more IMHO.

Oh and the failure rate of the PCPower and Cooling PSUs, along with their 60 amp rail, great voltage regulation, and what is in effect an 835 watt PSU*, are some of the reasons why that's one of the best PSUs in the world. (*they rate theirs at 40C, most others use 15C where performance is higher).

I stole that Power supply - heh.....

I ordered that rather large heat exchanger and a digital thermoeter 120mm fan.....  I would think that this will be an O'c in little wench...

My first system was 2.8 PIV that I ran at 3.8....  so I'm not a noob with O/C'ing.  Thanks a million for giving me the settings over in Gozr's thread.....  this won't take long...

Thanks

Gunny

That sounds nice Gunny! I just can't bring myself to pull the trigger on a new rig right now. My E6700 running at 3.2 and my 8800GTS 512 simply run well right now. I plan on looking closer at all of it in March/April and probably building in June. We'll see.

That rig should eat up everything you toss at it though.

TB, yeah - I'f I had the rig you did - I'd wait until SOW/ROF, but for me it's been too long.  Now I'm working like a beaver trying to get a few clear no-work days to put it all together.

S~

Gunny

Yeah, the truth is that I could have just kept my E6600 instead of getting the E8400, the 8400 does let me go over the 3.5 that was the most I wanted to run my E6600 at. . .3.96GHz is pretty sweet in FSX, or BlackShark!

TB, you could probably get 3.7 GHz out your CPU if you wanted to, 3.6Ghz is certain (depending on cooling). Gunny, you should be able to get anywhere from 3.8 to over 4.1 GHz with your E8500. Just take your time, and be careful what you set. At first just keep it at, or close to stock - let the thermal paste "set/burn-in" for a few heat cycles over the first week. You could probably set it to 3.4GHz without seeing any heat increase at all, and you probably could get 3.6GHz out of it without the need of any increases in core voltage. Of course even at stock you are going to be completely stocked at the performance you see. . .sometimes overclockers forget that, and instead get bummed out if their chip can't do 4.2GHz. Even at 3.6 it's a rocketship!

1TB Western Digital drive for 99: http://www.overclock.net/online-deals/452007-newegg-western-digital-caviar-green-wd10eads.html
9800GTX+ 512 superclocked for 139" http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10009715

of course if you want a 1GB model that will put you up around 190 after rebates: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130429

It's all over - all new parts are here or on the way here.  I went a little overboard with a new case and the graphics card.  Heh..

http://www.gozr.net/iocl/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=240&start=20

Thanks again Eco

S~

Gunny

have you got any sims running on it yet? I wanna hear how you like it!!

Hopefully he's just having too much fun with the new machine to post!!

 ;D

OMFG it r0x0rz !!!!!!

 ;D

GUnny

 ;D

Heh... it's just taken me a long time to move files over and off my laptop - and get used to Vista.  My first impressions are pretty blown away.

It loads fast - everything I've loaded so far has been like lightening.

The CPU has never increased temperature today in any application including the "Black Death Track" tests I posted today.  The GPU fan has not ever changed speed.  My case fans are set at low and my CPU temp is 26.6 C

It might have reached 27.1 when I was running max'd out (1600 X 1200 16X AA 16X AF High Quality) Black Death tests.

My Cougar is up just fine (late tonight, unfortunatley), and I should be logging into OC3 soon.

I really love Vista so far - it acts a lot more like windowed linux.  It's been easy for me so far.

Thanks again Eco and Gozr for helping me select hardware.  I love this baby!

S~

Gunny

I wanted to take a minute and thank Eco in particular, not only for all the benchmarking and testing but for filling out shopping carts at NewEgg, emailing me the best deals and generally keeping me pointed straight.

I actually ordered 9 out of 10 items that Eco had previously selected for me in Shopping Carts.

As I'm about to stop posting about computers and start posting about sims, missions, BS and Il2, I thought I'd take a minute to thank my friend for all his hard work on my behalf.

I'm happier with this computer build than I have been with most other things I've purchased in life.  Now I'll go benefit from his CoreDuo overclocking guide.... :)

Thanks again Eco,

S~

Gunny

Well heck Gunny, what are friends for!  ;D