Just ordered the parts for my new small form-factor PC

It should all arrive tomorrow.

Shuttle XPC SG33G5B Aluminium ... Intel Core 2 Duo (LGA775) £199.99
Microsoft Windows Vista Home P ... D - OEM - 1Pk (66I-00788) £59.99
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 "L ... .66GHz (1333FSB) - Retail £105.99
Corsair 2GB DDR2 XMS2-5400C4 TwinX (2x1GB) £27.99
PowerColor ATI Radeon HD 3870 ... MI (PCI-Express) - Retail £109.99
LiteON DH-20A1S-18C 20x DVD±R ... er ReWriter (Black) - OEM £14.99
Logitech Deluxe 660 Cordless Desktop - OEM (920-000477) £15.99
Samsung Bordeaux LE32R87BDX 32 ... HD Ready Freeview LCD TV £419.99
Saitek Cyborg Evo Force Joystick £32.99


Its going to be a general media centre as well as being able to play games that are more suited to a sofa and TV. Hehehe, I'm really excited about getting it all now

If only you'd asked me... 45 nm E8xxx's make less heat, and run faster and cooler while being a tiny amount more. Also I would of got some of this RAM for just a few pennies more.

Is that ram any better than my XMS2?

Hmmmm, like Jakq said, should have gone with the 8 series and 6400 RAM......

I don't need 6400 RAM though.

Quote from Crashgate3 :

I don't need 6400 RAM though.

You don't need a 32" TV either.

From doing various things with my E6750 it likes the faster RAM speed. And the E8xxx make sense because of the smaller shuttle case you have gone for, much less heat and runs cooler.

Doesn't matter anway, you've got it now.

Yes, but a 32" screen gives you a bigger screen to look at. 6400 RAM wouldn't make any difference whatsoever as the 1333FSB would make it run at 5400 speeds.

I'm not going to be fiddling or overclocking with this system at all as I want to keep the heat down.

6400 RAM is a little faster, but £2 gets you something with a higher resale value.

Haha. the graphics card didn't fit...

Despite the fact the back plate was only a single-slot, the cooler was actually dual-slot height. I'm returning it and am probably going to get either a 9600 or 8800GT as both have a good few cards with a single-slot coolers.

I'd have this one:

Gianward 9600GT

with Vista 64bit u should take 4GB RAM (don't know how its in britain, but here in germany u get MDT-6400 2x1GB Kit for 35 Euro ~ 23 pounds)

Quote from AndreABG :

with Vista 64bit u should take 4GB RAM (don't know how its in britain, but here in germany u get MDT-6400 2x1GB Kit for 35 Euro ~ 23 pounds)

In my opinion, you don't need more than 2GB for a media center PC, even with occasional gaming. I was able to play CS:S and quite a few other games maxed out with only 1GB of RAM in Vista.

well CS:S is not a very resource demanding game...

Vista or Vista 64?

Quote from mcintyrej :

I'd have this one:

Gianward 9600GT

Can't - that's got a dual-slot cooler.

afaik 9600gt does have a single slot cooler, so does the 8800gt

depends what 8800gt you get, mines a single slot card, but it has a dual height cooler.

Yeah, that's like the card I got originally. I've got an RMA number now
so I can send it off and get a refund tomorrow.

I don't need an 8800GT so I'm going to save my pennies and get a 9600GT.

Before I do, I just want to confirm that performance-wise it stands somewhere between the 3850 and 3870? Also I'm guessing that because it's a mid-range card with a brand new chip architecture, it'll run pretty cool?

Quote from Crashgate3 :

Before I do, I just want to confirm that performance-wise it stands somewhere between the 3850 and 3870? Also I'm guessing that because it's a mid-range card with a brand new chip architecture, it'll run pretty cool?

I am not sure how cool it will run, check the Tom's Hardware review here.