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Help me build a PC

Started by mitsuman47, November 12, 2002, 17:58 hrs

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mitsuman47

Hello, all.  This is my first post. ;D

I'm looking to build a desktop.  I don't need the newest, fastest processer or biggest hard drive or anything like that.  I'm basically just looking for a good, bulletproof, reliable system.  I'm wanting to spend $1000 to $1200 US.

I need recommendations on everything (case, power supply, motherboard, OS, etc), and where to get it.  Here is what I know I want:

40 gig HD- I have slow dial up, so I wont be dl'ing much.

>=1.6 gig processor, preferably Pentium 4

GOOD sound card: I LOVE good sound. Dolby 5.1 wouldnt hurt.  I will be getting the "altec lansing 641 Ultimate" speaker system. This is where I don't mind spending money.

512 Megs of ram- not sure what type I need, but I know I at least want this much, more if it isn't too expensive.

17 in. flat screen monitor-  CRT or LCD.  I will do some, but not much, gaming (car racing games mostly).  

Windows xp- I'll be doing my bills and some office work on it but not much so I thing home would suffice.

Decent video card- don't need top of the line stuff, but a 64 meg would be good.

Thats about it.  I don't know much about computers, but I have a good bit of common sense, so I think I'll be able to get it up and running without too many problems.  If I can't get some of the things I've listed, thats ok, I can compromise of some of it.  If someone has some time to kill, help me out.  Thanks. :)



scuzzy

Welcome to Poasters.

I'll will find some time later, possibly tomorrow, to give you some ideas. Until then, I'm sure others will step in to give you some advice. Several of our moderators are experienced in building systems, so you'll get some good advice here.

Check back.
Antec Performance TX640B Case | WinXP Pro SP3 & Win7 64-bit | Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R | Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale LGA 775 3.16GHz Dual-Core | 8GB (4x2GB) PC6400 G-Skill RAM | eVGA 7600GT 256MB PCI-E | 74GB WD Raptor SATA 16MB Cache | 74GB WD Raptor SATA 8MB Cache | 320GB Seagate Barracuda SATA 16MB Cache | External 640GB WD Caviar SATA 32MB Cache | Sony DRU-V200S DVD/RW | PC Power & Cooling Silencer 500W | Samsung SyncMaster 2494 (24") LCD Monitor | LG Flatron W2361V (23") LCD Monitor

dcsun

#2
Welcome to Poasters!

First of all, do you have any specific reasons to need or want an Intel processor?  Most of us here prefer the AMD Athlon XP models -- they're slightly more powerful and much less expensive.  Of course the final descision is up to you.

My recommendations for the system would be as follows:

- ASUS A7V333 motherboard (Comes with a nice onboard audio package, which you may find acceptable even with better speakers.  Might be worth waiting on the sound card to see if this is good enough)
- AMD Athlon XP 2000+ processor
- 512MB DDR333 Memory
- Western Digital hard drive (40GB should be plenty unless you have a specific need for more)
- The video card really depends on what you need.  If you want TV in or out, or other features, make sure the card has those.  Also make sure the AGP slot required by the card and the one available on the motherboard match!
- ATX MidTower with 300W power supply rated for Athlon XP/Intel P4 (300W is probably the minimum.  A cheap or low wattage power supply will crop up in other areas like problems with the video card or motherboard!)
- Windows 98SE or XP Home (This depends on the older hardware -- printers, scanners, etc -- that you want to use with the new system.  Make a list of any old devices you want to use and see if there are Windows XP drivers available for them.  If so, go for XP, if not, Windows 98SE will save you from replacing the other peripherals as well).

Hope this gives you a little more direction, and feel free to poast any other questions about it below. :)

mitsuman47

Thanks for the replys! ;D

I don't really have any preference for P4 other than my friends(who only know enough about computers to get by), telling me that they are "the best out there".  Other than that, no, I don't have any favoritism.  

Are there any good websites that sell parts relatively cheap, so I can research and all that good stuff?  

Also, are there any good books that you folks recommend that will teach me things about various components?

Thanks for all the help.  :)

dcsun

I buy all my parts through a local company, but others here recommend http://www.newegg.com.  The advantage of buying locally is that there's no shipping charge and you can actually talk to the person selling it to you, but I don't think it makes a huge differece, especially if the local places are more expensive.

As for books, the 'Upgrading and Repairing PCs' series is quite good.  There may also be others, but that's the one I got a while back.

pat

Hello there,
I agree, newegg is a great place to buy components. Also Mwave and Directron are a couple of other places I recommend.

When you say that you would like to keep the price at $1000 - $1200, do you mean everything? A decent 17-inch LCD screen could easily eat up 2/3 of your budget. However, a decent 17-19 inch flat screen CRT can be had for between $150- $300.

There are very many sites that offer great product reviews, two of my favorites are Anandtech and Toms Hardware Guide.

As for a case I like the Antec performance series, the newer ones have the true power, power supplies. They offer a couple of temp controlled fan leads as well as the fans on the power supply itself are temperature controlled and according to the manufacturer should be somewhat quieter.

As for a motherboard in MHO all the top tier motherboard makers offer great boards. It comes down to the features you are looking for, onboard video, sound, USB 2.0, serial ATA, LAN, etc.
I?m watching the new Nvidia Nforce 2, it?s getting some good reviews and could be cost effective, if all the features meet your needs.

That?s all I got for now, good luck.



SeaSonic S12 550W, Athlon 64 X2 6000+, Asus M2N SLI-Deluxe, nvidia 9600 GSO, 2x2 gig Crucial Ballistix, LG DVD/RW, 2x Western Digital Black Edition 640gb,  SAMSUNG 226BW Black 22", Canon PIXMA MP600,  Logitech X-230 speakers, Logitech Comfort Duo keyboard & Mouse, Windows 7 64 Home Premium & Vista 64

mitsuman47

Thanks again for helping me. :)

When I said everything I meant everything except for the speakers, sorry for the confusion.

I guess I'll look for a good CRT monitor. I think I am stuck on 17" because, 15" is too small for my eyes and 19" is too big for my desk.  So whats a good 17" monitor for $150 to $300.  What is an acceptable range in dot pitch that I should look for?  Are there any other features that I should look for in a monitor?

Before I go to work I'll get prices on everything y'all have recommmended and and see where I'm at.

Thanks again.  Keep the help coming.  ;D




scuzzy

#7
Okay - I have a little time now...

If you haven't done so yet, take a look at John's advice on building computers. You'll find some good information there.

My thoughts on building a computer are as follows:

1. Don't get caught up in the hype on AMD vs. Intel. Both offer excellent CPUs, however AMD easily offers the best value. As to which is the very fastest - it's probably Intel at the moment. However, are you willing to spend hundreds more (literally) just to get a 1% increase in performance? AMD will give you screaming performance, and it will leave a lot of extra money to spend on other things.

2. Spend a little extra on a quality case. We recommend Antec cases, which are manufactured by Chieftec. These are superior cases which offer a lot of value for the money. Although they cost more, it is money well spent. If you opt for cheaper cases, you'll one day regret it. Unless you plan on decking out the case with accessories, stick to a mid-size ATX case. If you plan on loading up the case, then go with a full tower.

3. DON'T GET A CHEAP POWER SUPPLY - This is probably the most overlooked item. There's much more to a power supply than simply wattage. A 350 watt power supply is worthless if it was poorly built. Stick to a high quality model. The best are made by PC Power and Cooling, Antec (True Power series), and Enermax. There are other good models out there, but check the reviews before you buy. You'll pay at least $50 for a good model, but $60 and up is more realistic. I recommend the dual fan models, as they will help to cool the CPU.

If by chance someone tells you that the only thing that matters is the wattage, you'll know that you can't trust the advice of that person. Don't let yourself get talked into buying a cheap model.

(BTW: Several Antec cases come with a "True Power" model power supply already installed. You can find great case/PS combos from Antec for about $100 to $150.) Antec's "True Power" series is an excellent power supply.

4. Crucial Tech offers about the best value for RAM. The great majority of our members will not use any other memory, myself included. If you go with generic memory, you might save a few dollars, but you will likely gain a few headaches. If you use the link on the left side of this page (under Favorite Links), you'll save 10% on your order, and you'll help to maintain this site.

5. Look for brand name motherboards that support the latest technology. Strong front runners are: Asus, MSI, Epox, and a few others. Don't get a RAID board unless you plan to use it. Otherwise, you'll be wasting money. Most will come with onboard sound which provides decent quality. However, you can still install your own sound card if you prefer.

6. Turtle Beach's Santa Cruz is an excellent sound card. It's hard to go wrong with it, and will provide great sound, as well as a great value. However, Sound Blaster's Audigy series is probably the best available.

7. ATI offers the best all-around video cards. You may want to strongly consider the retail version of ATI's Radeon 7500. Last time I looked, it was selling for about $80 at Best Buy. Wherever you buy, you are probably better off buying the retail version. ATI provides better, less confusing support for those models.

8. Look for OEM hard drives. They are cheaper than retail, and just as dependable. We recommend Maxtor, Western Digital, and Seagate. A few of us have used IBM, but they have not been as dependable as we prefer. As for speed, you'll get better performance from a 7200 rpm model. The 5400 rpm models cost less, but they lag behind in performance. When shopping, look for the best price in one of the above brands, and you should do fine.

9. Get rounded IDE cables. They are not expensive, they look great, and they will help air to circulate in your case.

10. Samsung offers the best CRT monitor values. Buy one locally from a store with a good return policy, though. If you have to return it for any reason, it will save you a lot of grief. CRT monitors are a bear to return via mail.

11. I recommend buying a retail version of the AMD CPU, instead of the OEM. The warranty is much better, and they already come with a heatsink/fan (HSF). Some people argue that the stock HSF isn't good enough, but that isn't true. Unless you plan on overclocking the CPU (which we don't recommend), the stock HSF will perform just fine.

I'll be happy to answer any other questions you may have. There's plenty of other things to consider, such as the fans, CD-R/W, DVD-ROM, NIC ethernet, and so on.

As for where to buy - we mostly use NewEgg.com, Directron.com, and MWave.com. I have also used Computers4Sure, and I can recommend them. However, NewEgg.com is my favorite. All of these sites offer good service, quality products, and competitive prices.
Antec Performance TX640B Case | WinXP Pro SP3 & Win7 64-bit | Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R | Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale LGA 775 3.16GHz Dual-Core | 8GB (4x2GB) PC6400 G-Skill RAM | eVGA 7600GT 256MB PCI-E | 74GB WD Raptor SATA 16MB Cache | 74GB WD Raptor SATA 8MB Cache | 320GB Seagate Barracuda SATA 16MB Cache | External 640GB WD Caviar SATA 32MB Cache | Sony DRU-V200S DVD/RW | PC Power & Cooling Silencer 500W | Samsung SyncMaster 2494 (24") LCD Monitor | LG Flatron W2361V (23") LCD Monitor

mitsuman47

Thanks that helps a lot.

I was looking at processors and came up with a few questions.

Will I notice a difference between 256 cache and 512?

What is the difference between 266 Mhz bus and a 400 Mhz?

Thanks for the help.  I don't have time to post the stuff like I said, work called and I have to go in early.  So, Ill be back this evening.  :)

Neon

I went virtual shopping at NewEgg for you. Try out this list:
CASE/PSU:

ANTEC PERFORMANCE PLUS Model# PLUS660AMG (METALIC GRAY) w/ ANTEC ATX12V TRUEPOWER 330W P4 READY POWER SUPPLY - RETAIL
Special features include the TruePower power supply , front USB/Firewire ports, washable air filter on the front, & quick-release drive bays with release lever.
Specifications:
Material: 1.0mm SECC
Drive Bays: External 3 X 5.25" - 2 X 3.5" Internal 3 X 3.5"
System Board: Standard ATX / Pentium 4
Expansion Slot: 7 Slots
USB/IO: 2 Front USB port, 1 Front IEEE 1394 (Firewire) port
Standard Fan(s): 1 X 80mm (rear)
Optional Fan(s): 2 X 80mm (front)
Dimensions: 18.6" (L) X 8.1" (W) X 17.25" (H)
$94.00

CABLES:

ROUND, 18-Inch, True ATA133/100/66/33, ( BLACK ) IDE Cable. 3-Head. 18 Inches. For IDE Hard Drives, CD ROM, DVD ROM or CDRW.
With PULL TABs - to be used for disconnecting the cable from devices WITHOUT pulling the wires.
Retail. Please see the images.
$7.50

ROUND, 10 inch, FLOPPY CABLE, 2-head, booted BLACK COLOR specially shielded with Copper Aluminum Mesh covered with a clear tube. , Pls refer to the image.
$5.00

MOTHERBOARD WITH VIDEO/SOUND:

►Super Deal! Asus A7N266-VM AA (AMD Assured Version) NVIDIA nFORCE 220 Chipset 266/200MHz FSB Motherboard Micro ATX- Retail
Socket A AMD Duron, Athlon, and Athlon XP up to 2100+
nForce 220D
FSB:266/200 MHz
Slots:3x PCI 1xAGP PRO 4x
Onboard LAN:10/100 Mbps
AC97and Dolby Digital (AC-3) Encoder Audio
Nvidia Nforce GeFORCE2 Video.
$71.99

CPU WITH HEATSINK/FAN:

AMD Athlon XP 2000+/266 FSB Processor CPU - 2000+/ 1.67GHz -Retail Box
BOX2000DMT3C. 3 Years Warranty. The AMD Athlon XP processor with QuantiSpeed architecture powers the next generation in computing platforms, delivering extra performance for cutting-edge applications and an extra-ordinary computing experience.world's highest overall performing PC processor.
Specifications:
CPU: 1.67 GHz
Type: 2000 XP
Cache: 256K
BUS: 266MHz
Socket A (PGA)
Retail (Box with Heatsink and Fan)
$95.00

MEMORY:

Crucial Micron 512MB 64x64 PC2100 DDR RAM, 184-Pin, CL=2.5-Unbuffered 2.5V, 6-Layers
CT6464Z265 Requires DDR supported Motherboard - Lifetime Warranty.
$163.00

HARD DRIVE:

►On Sale! WD WESTERN DIGITAL "SPECIAL EDITION" 80GB 7200RPM EIDE HARD DRIVE MODEL # WD800JB - OEM, DRIVE ONLY
Specifications:
Size: 80 Gigabytes
Interface: IDE ULTRA ATA100
Seek time: 8.9ms
RPM:7200
Cache 8MB
OEM(Drive alone) 3 Year Manufacturer Warranty --* Works With PC & Mac *--
$116.00

KEYBOARD/MOUSE:

Logitech Cordless Access Duo (Keyboard & Mouse) - RETAIL
Zero-Degree Tilt keyboard provides superior typing comfort
Cordless freedom through multi-channel digital radio technology with secure encryption
One-touch access to email, instant messenger, and webcam
Integrated controls for music and videos
Comfortable mouse with 3 buttons & scroll wheel--* Works With PC & Mac *--
$49.00

UTILITIES/ANTIVIRUS:

Symantec Norton SystemWorks 2002 - Professional Edition - OEM Full Version The complete problem-solving suite for advanced users and small businesses. It protects your PC against virus threats, optimizes performance, cleans out Internet clutter, provides quick and easy system recovery, clones and upgrades computers, and sends and receives faxes. Includes: Norton AntiVirus: protects your PC from virus threats, Norton Utilities: optimizes PC performance and solves problems, Norton CleanSweep: cleans out Internet clutter, GoBack? by Roxio: provides quick and easy system recovery, Norton Ghost: clones and upgrades your system easily, WinFax Basic: sends and receives professional-looking faxes
1 year licence
$14.00

OS:

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 1 - OEM Full Version Designed exclusively for home computing. Windows XP Home Edition puts the exciting experiences of the digital age at your fingertips. From digital photos, music, and video to building a home network, Windows XP Home Edition brings you into the digital age with ease. Built on the solid foundation of Windows 2000, Windows XP Home Edition also sets the new standard in efficient and dependable computing. A new visual design, reliable Windows engine, and new Internet security features combine with capabilities for sharing your computer, to give you the most dependable Windows operating system yet. *Must be Purchased with Hardware!!*
$93.00

MONITOR:

Samsung SyncMaster 700NF 17" CRT monitor - Retail
Ivory color
16" Viewable. 0.25mm dot pitch.
1600 x 1200 @ 75Hz Maximum Resolution.
ARAS (anti reflection, anti static) surface treatment.
TCO'99/MPR-II/NUTEK certified.
(Mac use may require adapter, not included)
--* Works With PC & Mac *-- more info>
$210.00

Subtotal:
$ 918.49

Tax:
$.00

Shipping and Handling charge (my estimate for FedEx ground to TX)*:
$77.00

Total:
$995.49

The motherboard comes with good integrated video (nvidia GeForce2), LAN, and AC97 audio. I chose a larger hard drive than you asked for, because it comes with a 3 year warranty instead of only 1 year, but you can save $36 on the 40GB drive if you prefer.
Area 64 project|Asus SK8N|nForce3 Pro 150 chipset|AMD Athlon 64 FX-51|2x 512MB Kingston HyperX PC3200R|eVGA GeForce 6800GT|WD Caviar SE 1200JD SATA|Plextor PX-708A 8x DVD+R|Plextor PX-116A 16x DVD-ROM|Lian Li PC-60H1S|Antec TruePower 430W ATX|WinXP x64 edition

mitsuman47

WOW.  Thanks for the list.  You did all the work for me.

I think I decided to go ahead and use the $1200 instead of $1000.  I figure it will be worth it for me to do that instead of get something I don't want and have to upgrade it later.

So:

I like the case
I never thought about buying cables, but I guess I need to, huh.  Are these all the cables I will need?
I like the processor.
I like the memory.
I think I'll stick with the 40GB.  It will allow me to upgrade other parts.  You'll know what I mean when you read more.
I like the norton.
I like the OS
I like the keyboard and mouse.
Is that monitor flat-screen.  I'm bent on getting a FS after seeing my Mom's at her office.

The only thing I really dont care for is the motherboard.  Since I downgraded to the 40GB HD, I have ~300 to spend on a motherboard, video card and sound card.  Other than that everything else looks perfect.   Is that all I would need? I can't think of anything else.  So, what are your recommendations for $300 worth of MB, VC, and SC?

mitsuman47

Forgot to add:

DCSun said that the A7V333 is a good motherboard.  I was looking on newegg and I think I will upgrade to the A7V8X for only $11 dollars more.  Do ya'll think this is upgrade is worth the $11 dollars or should I stick with the A7V333?

If it turns out that ya'll think that I should get the A7V8X, that leaves me with $180 dollars for a sound card and video card.

Thanks again.

dcsun

When you say flat screen do you mean just a flat crt monitor, or an lcd flat panel (the couple inch deep ones)?  If the later, you're looking at just under $1000 for just the monitor, so that's probably out of the question with your budget.  As for the board, I'm quite pleased with the ASUS A7V333, but you'll need to add a video card to it.

mitsuman47

I mean a flat crt.  Sorry if I didn't make myself clear.

dcsun

Doesn't look like the one Neon found you is a flat one, but Scuzzy makes a really good point.  You probably should look at some local stores and see what's available.

mitsuman47

I was looking and sound cards and saw the Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2.  Whats the difference between this and the Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum (Model SB0240P)?  I know, I know, read the decriptions and find out.  I don't know what all the jibberish is.  I know what S/N ratio is, but all the other stuff has me confused. Thanks again for all your help.

mitsuman47

#16
I think I am going to go with the ATI RADEON 7500 64MB PCI RETAIL.  It looks like a good piece from what I can see.  

I also forgot that I would need a go CD/DVD/CDR drive. Can you recommend me a good one.  I would like it to burn CD's reatively fast (for backups of course  ;D)

Also need a 3.5 in drive.  Any recommendations?

Edit: that cd drive doesn't need to be DVD,  I have a 61" tv with surround sound and all the goodies, I don't know why I put that.

I also found a Samsung CRT Monitor 765MB 17" Flat screen Retail.  It's a flat screen, .20 H dot pitch, 1600X1200.  Is this a good quality monitor?  I'll probably go to the stores and look around.

dcsun

Yep, Samsung monitors are usually quite good.

A PCI video card is a waste of money when you've got an AGP slot.  There's probably an AGP version of the same card available.

Floppy drives are all pretty much the same.  Any one should be just fine.

As for the optical drive, have a look at my review of the Yamaha CRW-F1.  It's a wonderful drive and I highly recommend it.

mitsuman47

Quote from: DCSun on November 13, 2002, 18:06 hrsA PCI video card is a waste of money when you've got an AGP slot.

I don't guess I know the difference between those.

dcsun

Any new board should have an agp slot, which is specifically designed for a graphics card.  PCI cards are still sold for computers that don't have agp slots, but will work much slower.  Make sure the slot required by the card (2x, 4x, 8x, etc) matches the one available on the board.

scuzzy

I didn't even realize that the ATI Radeon 7500 was available in a PCI version. Regardless, you'll want the AGP version. Otherwise, as Dave mentioned, you'll just be wasting money.

Samsung has beautiful flat screen monitors. As I mentioned before, pick one out at a local store. Samsung recently introduced a "digital" series CRT, which is reasonably priced. Looks sharp, too.

For the record, a "flat screen" denotes a CRT monitor, whereas a "flat panel" denotes an LCD monitor.
Antec Performance TX640B Case | WinXP Pro SP3 & Win7 64-bit | Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R | Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale LGA 775 3.16GHz Dual-Core | 8GB (4x2GB) PC6400 G-Skill RAM | eVGA 7600GT 256MB PCI-E | 74GB WD Raptor SATA 16MB Cache | 74GB WD Raptor SATA 8MB Cache | 320GB Seagate Barracuda SATA 16MB Cache | External 640GB WD Caviar SATA 32MB Cache | Sony DRU-V200S DVD/RW | PC Power & Cooling Silencer 500W | Samsung SyncMaster 2494 (24") LCD Monitor | LG Flatron W2361V (23") LCD Monitor

mitsuman47

So, what's a good video card with an agp slot that's about $80-100?

Neon

The round cables are optional. Since the XP2000+ will last you longer if it is kept cool, and rounded cables help to improve air flow through the case, they may be a good investment. Note that any Asus motherboard purchased at retail will include cables. I recommend that you check before purchasing, as few mobos now come with rounded cables, and a few come with no cables. Oh yeah, if you are adding optical drives (CD-RW), you will want to get 2 IDE cables.

The Samsung 700NF is indeed a flat screen CRT. NF stands for Natural Flat. I use its big brother, the 900NF, and it is the best CRT monitor I have ever used. One thing to note - it contains an aperture grill tube, which has those 2 very thin wires that go across the screen horizontally. They are just barely noticable on white backgrounds, but some people find them annoying. As everyone else suggests, you should go see the monitor before buying it, if at all possible.

The A7V8X should be a good choice, although it is still pretty new, and perhaps not well-proven yet. It should give you some good upgrade paths in the future, since it supports 333MHz FSB and SerialATA.

I have the ATI Radeon 7500 AGP on Windows 2000, and it's a good card. As long as you aren't planning on bleeding-edge gaming, it should serve your needs well. I would recommend that you take care to get the "Built by ATI" card and NOT the "powered by ATI" (OEM) card, because you may not be able to use the ATI drivers with the powered by cards.
Area 64 project|Asus SK8N|nForce3 Pro 150 chipset|AMD Athlon 64 FX-51|2x 512MB Kingston HyperX PC3200R|eVGA GeForce 6800GT|WD Caviar SE 1200JD SATA|Plextor PX-708A 8x DVD+R|Plextor PX-116A 16x DVD-ROM|Lian Li PC-60H1S|Antec TruePower 430W ATX|WinXP x64 edition

dcsun

The agp version of the one you picked should be fine as long as the slot required is the same as the one on the board.

scuzzy

I too recommend the ATI Radeon 7500 AGP card, in the retail (or "boxed") version. It's an excellent card for the money. It's also available in the "All In Wonder" model, if you're into TV/Video.
Antec Performance TX640B Case | WinXP Pro SP3 & Win7 64-bit | Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R | Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale LGA 775 3.16GHz Dual-Core | 8GB (4x2GB) PC6400 G-Skill RAM | eVGA 7600GT 256MB PCI-E | 74GB WD Raptor SATA 16MB Cache | 74GB WD Raptor SATA 8MB Cache | 320GB Seagate Barracuda SATA 16MB Cache | External 640GB WD Caviar SATA 32MB Cache | Sony DRU-V200S DVD/RW | PC Power & Cooling Silencer 500W | Samsung SyncMaster 2494 (24") LCD Monitor | LG Flatron W2361V (23") LCD Monitor

mitsuman47

Hey folks.  

I went to Best Buy today and looked at monitors.  I saw a couple that I liked, so I guess I'll get one from there.  I've also decided to wait a while on my computer.  I think I should save up a little more money and get a good PC that I won't want to upgrade much down the road.  I pretty much have what I want in mind, and it's mostly what you've recommended to me.  So, I think I'll wiat about 2 months and get back at it.  In the mean time, I can order a book or two from Barns and Noble and learn as much as I can before I go at it.  Thanks for all the help. :)

Eric M.

Actually I'm going to argue with Scuzzy on one thing.. the video card. ATI's earlier models aren't the greatest (and even their new ones may be powerful but have driver issues.) For $50-$100 you should be able to get at least a GeForce3 TI series model which is still very powerful even compared to the GeForce4's and new Radeons.
Asus Crosshair
AMD FX-62
2GB Corsair XMS2
eVGA 8800 GTX
X-Fi XtremeGamer Pro
150GB Raptor X, 2x 250 GB WD, 2x 500 GB WD HDDs
Vista Ultimate 64bit

scuzzy

For gaming, that may be a better card. However, the ATI Radeon 7500 is no fluffball. It's not the best gaming card for the money, but it's an excellent all around 2d-3d card. For $80, it can be had in the retail version. Not bad, if you ask me.

I've been using the Radeon 7500 in the computer I built, and I couldn't be happier. Plus, ATI's DVD player is downright superior.
Antec Performance TX640B Case | WinXP Pro SP3 & Win7 64-bit | Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R | Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale LGA 775 3.16GHz Dual-Core | 8GB (4x2GB) PC6400 G-Skill RAM | eVGA 7600GT 256MB PCI-E | 74GB WD Raptor SATA 16MB Cache | 74GB WD Raptor SATA 8MB Cache | 320GB Seagate Barracuda SATA 16MB Cache | External 640GB WD Caviar SATA 32MB Cache | Sony DRU-V200S DVD/RW | PC Power & Cooling Silencer 500W | Samsung SyncMaster 2494 (24") LCD Monitor | LG Flatron W2361V (23") LCD Monitor

mitsuman47

I just ordered "Building The Ulitmate Gaming PC" from amazon.com.  I saw it at the book store today, and eventhough I'm not building a "gaming" pc, it seemed to have a lot of info. that could be of help to me.  So I guess I'll read it and make all of my final decisions on components and what I need (want).  Thanks again for all of the help.

mitsuman47

Hey folks.

A buddy of mine (who has way more money to spend on a PC than I do) wants to build a system, and instead of starting a new thread I thought I'd just add it on to this one.  My friend knows just a little more about computers than I do, and is stuck on a P4.  He's come up with this system and only needs a good motherboard and 1G of RAM to go with it:

ANTEC SOHO File ServerTower ATX Case Model SX1040BII with 400 Watt Smart Power, (ATX12V, P4 Compliant ) Power Supply **Black**With Front Mounted 2x USB and 1x Firewire Ports; For Pentium 4. Drive Bays Front Accessible: 4 x 5.25", 2 x 3.5", Internal: 4 x 3.5".with 2 Standard Rear fans Model#: SX1040BII

Intel P4 2.4Ghz     533 fsb    512k L2 cache     Intel Product # BX80532PE2400D

WD WESTERN DIGITAL "SPECIAL EDITION" 80GB 7200RPM EIDE HARD DRIVE MODEL # WD800JB - OEM, DRIVE ONLY
Specifications:
Size: 80 Gigabytes
Interface: IDE ULTRA ATA100
Seek time: 8.9ms
RPM:7200
Cache 8MB



ATI RADEON 9700 PRO 128MB TV/DVI 8X AGP RETAILRADEON™ 9700 PRO is the world's fastest* and most advanced graphics board.
Specifications:
GPU: RADEON™ 9700 PRO Visual Processing Unit (VPU)
Mem: 128MB DDR memory 256-bit memory
OS: Windows 2000,ME,XP DirectX? 9.0 support
Eight parallel rendering pipelines, Four parallel geometry engines
Bus: AGP 8X support 2GB/sec Bandwidth
Peak Memory Bandwidth 20GB a sec (compare to ti 4600's 10.4gb)
Pixel Fill Rate: 2.6 Gigapixels/Sec
Resolutions: From 640x480 at 200Hz, to 2048x1536 at 85Hz
Integrated TV Output support up to 1024x768 resolution
2x/4x/6x full scene anti-aliasing modes

Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum (Model SB0240P) - RETAIL
Audigy 2 Internal Drive: All the analog & digital ports you'll need for simple desktop connectivity including a super-fast SB1394 FireWire port
DVD-Audio: The only PC solution to enable the Advanced Resolution era of 24-bit music fidelity w/192kHz in stereo & 96kHz in 5.1
106dB SNR:

SAMSUNG 1.44MB BLACK FLOPPY DRIVE Model# SFD321B/KEB - OEM, DRIVE ONLY

Samsung DynaFlat 955DF 19" (Viewable 18") CRT monitor - Retail
Ivory color
0.20mm dot pitch (horizontal). 1600 x 1200 @ 68Hz Maximum Resolution.
Infinitely Flat Tube. Smart III surface treatment (anti-static & anti-glare).
TCO'99/NUTEK certified. Display Doctor On-screen Control.

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 1 - OEM Full Version Designed exclusively for home computing. Windows XP Home Edition puts the exciting experiences of the digital age at your fingertips. From digital photos, music, and video to building a home network, Windows XP Home Edition brings you into the digital age with ease. Built on the solid foundation of Windows 2000, Windows XP Home Edition also sets the new standard in efficient and dependable computing. A new visual design, reliable Windows engine, and new Internet security features combine with capabilities for sharing your computer, to give you the most dependable Windows operating system yet. *Must be Purchased with Hardware!!*


Thats what he emailed me (he actually asked what I thought  ;D).

What would be a good high end motherboard to go along with the rest of his system?  He also needs 1g of ram to go with it.