Adequate System?

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 Processor

EVGA nForce 790i Ultra SLI Motherboard

Windows Vista Home Prem 64-bit

Corsair XMS3 DHX 2048MB Dual Channel PC10600 DDR3 1333MHz Memory

EVGA GeForce 9800 GTX+ Video Card

Planning on ordering this system soon, (didnt include things not related to performance), and would just like to get a few opinions on it....

And also, what settings would this system be able to play CRYSIS on?.... just as a benchmark..

First of all, lose the DDR3. With current hardware, it shows little to no improvement over DDR2 at all.

Now then, obviously, lose the 790i board as well. I would suggest picking up a mobo with a P45, X38 or X48 chipset and an HD4850 or 4870. However, if you are set in sticking with Nvidia, ignore what the other person said. The 9800GTX+ is undeniably better than the 8800GTS. It also costs about the same price as the 8800GTS, making it a far better value...

Get a 750i chipset if you decide to go with Nvidia video card(s).

Also, Carraher how do figure two 8800GT's cost significantly less than a GTX 260? GTX 260's can be purchased for under $250 currently; two 8800GT's would cost at least $240 or more...

Im pretty set with the DDR3... even though it is a small improvement, it IS an improvement....

And also, DDR2 will be phased out Sometime in the next 2-3 years.... and I want this PC to be futureproof, even though I am going to be upgrading it (2/3 way SLI, 6GB RAM, ETC.)

We are also talking about the 9800GTX+, which is better than an 8800GTS. A 9800GTX+ is on par with the 4850, which is considerably better than the 8800GTS.

As for the price, I don't know where you're looking, but all the etailers I check have a handful of GTX 260s for well under $300.

RFOMownage: DDR3 isn't an improvement. It's vastly overpriced for the same performance you could get from DDR2 for much cheaper.. As I stated before, current hardware can't really make use of DDR3 properly. If you want to use DDR3 so badly, wait a few months for Nehalem and X58 mobos.

Um no a whole 1-5 fps faster thats because of the overclock they put on 9800GTX.... Their performance is so close why do you think that most sites that were promoting the 9800GTX didnt include the 8800GTS in their benchys.... because the performance were so close it wouldnt put the 9800GTX in the spotlight. The two are so close if both were clocked the same they would be tied. Now the cheapest GTX 260 I seen was $300 roughly and went upto $430 so two 8800GT's is still cheaper any way you look at it.04dcarraher

Do you have any recent benchmarks to prove that? The first drivers for the 9800gtx were pretty bad.