Our oldest daughter will graduate medical school this upcoming August 2005. I am planning on building a really nice system for her, and I would like advice from the experts.
As for requirements, it needs to be a high-performance system that will be used for photo editing, viewing DVD movies, occasional gaming, and general use. She is also very much into MP3s. The OS will be WinXP Pro, and will include MS Office Professional.
I am not looking for the latest/greatest that money can possibly buy, but I'm not looking to put together a cheap system, either. I want a mid-size Lian-Li case, and a PS in the 400+ watt category. For a monitor, I will look for a 19" to 20" LCD when it's closer to August; possibly a wide-screen model.
As for the CPU - only AMD will be considered. The system will also require a high-quality sound card capable of rocking down the house. As for a graphics card, I favor ATI, and will consider an All-In-Wonder model.
Thanks for your ideas.
An Athlon64 3200+, 3400+, or 3500+ would probably be the best choices for a good compromise between cost and performance, and of course they are best for gamming. Get the 939 socket. It's the fastest and it will be around the longest.
For video, an ATI X600 or Nvidia 6600GT would probably be in the right are for good gaming and not costing too much. I think there is an ATI X600 AIW.
For the hard drive, get a Western Digital 160GB, maybe? I guess it depends what she uses it for. If she is recording video, You could get something like a WD 200GB and a WD 120GB, and use one as the slave for purely video storage. This would allow her to more easily do other stuff while video recording.
For optical, get the NEC ND-3500A. I just got one, and it's fantastic. Anandtech also rated it one of the best DVD-Burners around.
I'll add more specifics shortly.
Lian Li Black Mid-Tower Case, Model "PC-78B USB" -RETAIL
$85.00
Antec 430W Power Supply, Model "TRUE430" - Retail
$75
(A Thermaltake could be a cheaper alternative)
AMD Athlon 64 3200+, 512KB L2 Cache, Socket 939 64-bit Processor - Retail
$233.00
GIGABYTE "GA-K8NS-939" NVIDIA nForce3 ULTRA Chipset Motherboard For AMD Socket 939 CPU -RETAIL
$85.00
Corsair XMS Extreme Memory Speed Series, (Twin Pack) 184 Pin 1GB(512MBx2) DDR PC-3200 - Retail
$198.00
Western Digital 200GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model WD2000JB, OEM Drive Only
$114.00
Western Digital 160GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model WD1600JB, OEM Drive Only
$93
XFX nVIDIA GeForce 6600GT Video Card, 128MB GDDR3, 128-Bit, Dual DVI, AGP 8X, Model "PVT43AND" -RETAIL
$225.00
NEC 16X Double Layer DVD?RW Drive, Black, Model ND-3520A BK, OEM
$63.99
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's all 1171.99 + shipping
The monitor is more of a personal prefrence, but LG and Samsung would be good brands to look at, and you've got the OS already chosen. I'm not that experienced with sound cards, but the integrated isn't bad on this, but if you want better, you could always get an Audigy 2 or something. So there ya go. Good luck with this, and let me know what you think.
I agree with pretty much everything Carskick has suggested. Definately go for the S939 A64 since it has dual-channel memory support and since the memory controller is on the CPU itself it actually does some good, unlike on the nForce2+AXP where the difference is negliable.
For sound, look at either the Audigy 4 Pro (which is a true prosumer card but a bit OTT for most people), the Audigy 2 ZS (still very good) or something based on VIA's Envy24 chipset such as the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 or Philips Ultimate Edge. The advantage of the Envy24 cards is that they don't come with bloatware to bog the system down. They're not as good for gaming since they lack hardware 3D sound acceleration but for MP3 and Home-Theatre they're pretty much unbeatable.
If you do decide to stick with onboard sound, check what codec it is using. Realtek aren't the best although they may sound "OK". I can definately hear the difference between Realtek ALC650/655/658 and even the old Aureal Vortex 2 but a lot of it depends on how well the motherboard manufacturer has designed their boards.
Look at the system I built and get ideas from it. You can reduce the number of hard drives and get an ATI graphics card to save money over the 6800 I bought. You can also downgrade the RAM to 512 MB, but if she is using Adobe Photoshop, I recommend a minimum of 1 MB of RAM. The system I built was designed to handle Photoshop CS and 6 to 100 MB digital photo files. I also may add a card and use it to copy some home VHS videos to DVD.
Mark H
Have you thought about noise levels? In my opinion these make a huge difference to the enjoyment of a system so take a look at quiet fans. Arctic Cooling make some very nice, innovative fans for CPU, case and graphics cards (although fitting the latter will void graphics card warranty unfortunately).
We've got a new Celeron based system at work - nice and quiet at idle, but the minute the CPU is loaded above around 50% the leaf blower starts up and it is easily the noisiest PC in the office. All the more reason to go AMD - much cooler running.
Yes, go with the AMD 939 chips. I went with Panaflo fans and my new system is quieter with 5 of these than the other system with 4 Antec fans. Noise level lowering is worth the extra cost of replacing some stock fans.
Quote from: Chandler on January 13, 2005, 15:35 hrs
I agree with pretty much everything Carskick has suggested. Definately go for the S939 A64 since it has dual-channel memory support and since the memory controller is on the CPU itself it actually does some good, unlike on the nForce2+AXP where the difference is negliable.
For sound, look at either the Audigy 4 Pro (which is a true prosumer card but a bit OTT for most people), the Audigy 2 ZS (still very good) or something based on VIA's Envy24 chipset such as the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 or Philips Ultimate Edge. The advantage of the Envy24 cards is that they don't come with bloatware to bog the system down. They're not as good for gaming since they lack hardware 3D sound acceleration but for MP3 and Home-Theatre they're pretty much unbeatable.
If you do decide to stick with onboard sound, check what codec it is using. Realtek aren't the best although they may sound "OK". I can definately hear the difference between Realtek ALC650/655/658 and even the old Aureal Vortex 2 but a lot of it depends on how well the motherboard manufacturer has designed their boards.
Nice points, Chandler. The board I pointed ouyt has the ALC850 codec. My PC uses the ALC650, and I use it mainly for music and games, with sufficent results. The Nforce 2 forceware has an EQ that does a pretty good job. Whether it's a hardware or software EQ, I don't know, but it's pretty good. You may not want to turn the volume really high, as it will distort. Keep it about 50% volume, and turn the speakers up, and the quality will be very good. The main reasons to get an external card would be if you need digital inputs or outputs, need audiophile quality on your computer (You should have great speakers for this as well), or if you want slightly better system performance due to a stronger sound processor. The ALC650 that I have can do something like 24 or 30 3D sounds at a time, while the ALC850 is probably even better, so it should be fine for her. If not, you can always upgrade later.
Thanks for the great reply, guys. As soon as I get a chance, I'll come back and add some thoughts here.
Okay, I' finally getting started on putting this system together. I have 4 months to build it, and I will piece it together as I'm able. To start, I will be picking up a case in the near future.
The motherboard, CPU, and RAM will likely be the last items I pick up. However, I'm leaning toward the EPOX EP-9NDA+ mobo (thanks, Chandler), AMD Athlon 64 3500. For the RAM, I'll look at Carskick's advice for 1GB of Corsair.
I'm undecided on HDD and Video. Probably Seagate or WD for the drive, but it will be SATA only to reduce cable clutter. The video card will likely be ATI based, but I will consider Carskick's advice for nVIDIA.
The DVD burner will be Plextor's SATA drive (PX-716SA), again to reduce cable clutter. Software will be the retail version of Nero 6.
For PSU, I'll likely get the Antec True430.
I'll keep you folks updated. Meanwhile, thanks for the great ideas.
Here's some more things to consider:
Case
Fong Kai FK330 - wow, if this was available in the UK I would buy it in a heartbeat
Evercase ECE-4252 - cheap with very good airflow
Hard Disks
Samsung - very quiet
Western Digital - high quality, some quiet models out
Hitachi - cheap and good performance
Seagate - high quality
Optical Drive
LG - cheap and excellent performance and features
Toshiba - high quality
Plextor - high quality
(I run the IDE cable for this behind the motherboard so it doesn't look all that messy)
Graphics Card
Galaxy Glacier 6800GT AGP - comes pre-fitted with NV Silencer for quietness and will also exhaust heat straight out of the case
GeForce 6600GT - good performance and pretty cheap (better value than the 9800 Pro IMHO)
ATI cards seem to require slightly less power - so run cooler
CPU
A64 3200+ 90nm - cheaper than the 3500+ but if you can afford it then by all means go for the 3500+. Make sure you get a 90nm Winchester though
Holy cow, what a great case. Thanks for the heads-up.
Fong Kai FK330 Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article127-page1.html)
Well, forget it. Dang it.
It seems Directron was the only supplier carrying this product. Unfortunately, Directron claims it is no longer available. :(
I would be glad to put together your new system for you. I feel I have a level of experience and expertise unmatched by anyone in the chatroom. If you send me all the parts, plus a nominal assembly fee.
I would also offer that there are some "missing" components, that you might find important if not necessary:
1. a power strip. I think mine's a Belden. I'll check when I get home. It allows you to plug stuff in, and I find it invaluable for efficient computer operation.
2. A mouse. I have one with a cord, but it has that red light optical thingy, so it's pretty cool. Except when the cord gets tangled around the end of the power strip ("Belden") and I have to yank it out and reset it to the mouse pad.
3. Oh. A mouse pad. Mine has one of those wrist rests, for my carpal tunnel. Of course, it's all dented from use so hardly supportive, if you catch my drift.
4. A keyboard. Mine's the same brand as the mouse. It has those extra buttons you can program to call up a site, like this one (Community) or shopping (Amazon) or whatever the heading is.
5. A CRT monitor. I'm sorry, but LCD's are a pain to me with my glasses/vision. And the side view is lousy. If I have guests in, and they have to sit off to the side, they'd go blind. Well, so am I, in using a dang LCD with its stupid resident setting.
6. one of those extension USB 2.0 thingys. I use that for the keyboard and mouse, plus my camera to plug into.
7. A digital camera. It sure helps in taking and poasting photos, here.
8. A couple CD holders, that i use to hold CDs and disks. And drugstore receipts until I can toss them.
9. A box for floppies. I've got floppies saved from years ago. All sorts of stuff. Of course, can't pull a darn thing from some because I don't have the dang software the stuff was written on. (Broderbund...)
10. I can't think of anything else, but had to do this since it's a top ten list. Consider this "other duties as assigned."
Ace; Oh, and yell if you try to hook up 3 controllers or have to reseat the memory in the thing. I get that stuff right the first time.
I agree that this case is supurb. Here is the USA address info. I just emailed for info on dealers in the US.
Fong Kai USA, Inc
Direct Factory Support
900 Alpha Road #420
Richardson, Texas 75081 USA
Tel: 972-644-1584
Toll: 972-644-5343
Thanks, Whizbang. I'll see what I can do with the info.
They also listed an 888 call number, but I received some strange automated response about not being able to use that number from my location. As I have said, there are a lot of places that you cannot get to from Arkansas. ::)
Geez Louise. It's Texas. Isn't that like a local number?
Fine. I'll call them too, for you. And put the dang thing together. And you're not getting a red one, unless the thing gets here finally.
Ace; being a computer techie is not easy. For me.
It's a local call for me. Let me know if I can assist.
Well, thanks for the help/advice. I contacted Fong Kai over the case, and I am awaiting a reply.
On another note, I went ahead and ordered a Seagate 160GB SATA hard drive (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=22-148-034&depa=1) from NewEgg. The cost was $106 + $.99 S/H.
Quote from: scuzzy on March 31, 2005, 13:37 hrs
Well, thanks for the help/advice. I contacted Fong Kai over the case, and I am awaiting a reply.
On another note, I went ahead and ordered a Seagate 160GB SATA hard drive from NewEgg (click here for details (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=22-148-034&depa=1)). The cost was $106 + $.99 S/H.
They did answer the phone? Please pass on what you find.
Yes, I spoke with someone or another who transferred me to another person. He gave me some advice, suggesting the FK-333. Unfortunately, it's not available anywhere. But he's willing to work with me to sell me one directly from the factory stock. A couple emails have been exchanged, and I agreed to make a payment via PayPal - no credit cards are accepted.
Anyway, I'm waiting to hear back from him to make arrangements for payment. The grand total is around $135. I'll keep you folks updated as things move forward.
That is really strange that cases of that quality have no known retail outlet. I ran into a similar problem with two aluminum cases that Akida was selling. One had the whole inside mobo and power supply frame on a roll-out rack. The other had quick connects for all the drives. I was going to get one but found that they had been discontinued.
Firstly, I mustn't forget to thank Ace for his offer that I'm quickly going to dismiss as another "Jester Scheme". Although I considered it for just a second, I didn't want a computer with a toaster attached to the mouse port.
Secondly, I just send payment via PayPal to Fong Kai for $134.31. When the case is received, I'll update you folks on the details. Yes, I made sure the case has a restricted delivery to me, and not to Ace.
Thirdly, the Mitsumi USB 2.0/Floppy Drive unit arrived yesterday. It looks great, much better than I expected, and is the same size as a standard floppy unit. Hopefully, it will perform as well as it looks. Which, by the way, looks great. :)
Update: I'm considering the ASUS A8N-E nForce4 Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-131-530&depa=1), along with the Rosewill ATI Radeon X800XL Video Card (PCI-E) (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=14-164-041&DEPA=0). But I'm not entirely sure if I want to go with PCI-E route.
If I stay with AGP, I'm considering the ASUS K8N-E Deluxe nForce3 Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-131-498&depa=1), along with an undetermined ATI based video card. I *really* like the ATI cards, so it's unlikely that I'll stray. Anything is possible at this point, though.
As for the CPU, the more I think about it, the more likely I'll get the AMD 64 3200+ Winchester Core. I may consider something faster if the prices drop sufficiently within the next 3 months.
As always, your thoughts are welcomed.
My opinion here would be like my giving you my opinion on Cadillacs. I have seen 'em only at a distance.
AFAIK the Winchester core is only available in S939 format. Some good boards I considered are:
- ASUS A8V-Deluxe (make sure it's a revision 2.0 - typical ASUS really ;))
- MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum
- Gigabyte GA-K8NS-939
I've got no complaints with the EPoX EP-9NDA3J, and there's also the more feature-rich EP-9NDA3+. The main reason I picked it over the MSI or Gigabyte was due to it's layout, which had quite specific demands for my cooling equipment (CPU socket needs to "face" exhaust, space needed around AGP for VGA Silencer and passive cooling).
By all accounts the VIA K8T800 Pro chipset is just as good as the nVidia nForce3 Ultra (200Gb Ultra) from a performance perspective, but I can't comment on things like USB which is somewhere VIA has always been let down for me. I would have gone for the ASUS A8V-Deluxe had there not been that uncertainty but I needed a reliable USB controller, and I had relatively few issues with nVidia.
From what I've seen on NewEgg, the PCI Express versions of the latest graphics cards are generally cheaper than the AGP version, and about the same in speed. PCI Express offers no benefit now, but the Nforce 4 is a better chipset, and the PCI Express maybe nice in the future.
Duh. I failed to notice that the Asus board I mentioned was not Socket 939. I don't know how in heck I missed that. Oh well, strike that one dead.
I still have about 2 to 3 months before I make the MoBo purchase, so I'll see what's the best bet then.
Thanks for the advice, and I'll continue searching my options. PCI-E is looking better. :)
PCI-e has more bandwidth available etc but there are some limitations:
- nForce4 apparently has some PCI issues. Bandwidth maxes out wrt CPU load (at 60% CPU load the bandwidth drops for some reason). Intel PCIe chipsets have a similar problem but it's not as bad. No such problem on AGP chipsets.
- PCIe boards only have 2 or 3 PCI slots. If you intend to use onboard sound etc you may not find this a limitation, but for me it was (I need 2 TV tuners and a sound card).
- Some (older or badly written) DirectX applications/games don't like PCIe boards (as they don't see AGP they make an assumption).
Chandler, I too have had USB issues with one of my VIA based motherboards. I never thought to attribute the problem to VIA, though. I admit that I have been leaning hard toward an nForce3/4 chipset, but will consider the boards you recommended.
I'm undecided on the EPOX EP-9NDA3+ (which is no longer available at NewEgg), as the more I look at the layout, the less I like it. The power connector and Floppy connector could have had a better placement. I admit that it's otherwise a great board that's loaded with features, but I'm not sure I want to stretch a floppy cable that far down. Once I receive my case, I'll have a better idea. But, the power connector remains an issue. I don't like the idea of having the power cable that close to the CPU where the cooling can get hampered.
One other thing about EPOX, which is NOT a factor in purchasing - just an observation. What the heck is it with their determination to keep the puke-green color?
As for PCI slots, I can't think of anything to plug in other than possibly a sound card. If the board I purchase has high-quality on-board sound, then I'll probably skip the add-on card.
Abit probably have the best layout of any manufacturer. The IDE connectors are located on the edge of the board. Unfortunately their only nForce4 board has a REALLY poor floppy connector placement.
One of the MSI boards has integrated SoundBlaster Live! 24-bit, which is really from the Audigy family rather than Live!. Here it is:
MSI K8N Neo4 Diamond (http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_detail.php?UID=638)
The K8N SLI Platinum also has this.
The power connectors on the EPoX board aren't an issue for me since I have a tower cooler and the cables can be tied back out of it's way. The floppy connector is in a stupid place, just as it was on my Biostar board. I've got it running up behind the board.
Chandler, I did not know about that first issue, thanks for informing me. Hopefully it can be fixed with motherboard driver updates, but only time will tell. But I won't be upgrading to a 939 PCI-ex system for probably a year. By then, the bugs should be worked out.
The most PCI slots I could ever imagine using is 3. Video capture, wireless LAN, and sound. I currently don't use either the wireless or sound, but they would be possibilities if situations changed. I try to get nforce boards with good realtek's on them, as I hate messing with expensive buggy, audigy card, albiet they are great when they work.
Quick update in the direction I'm taking this. After talking to my future son-in-law, I realized I needed to make some moderate adjustments. So, here's where I'm taking this train:
-Fong Kai FK-333 Case
-Giga-Byte GA-K8NS Ultra-939 (built-in firewire w/4 SATA connectors)
-AMD 64 3000+ Winchester Core (retail)
-Seagate 160GB SATA HDD w/8MB Cache (OEM)
-Misumi Floppy/USB2 Flash Card Combo Reader
-Sapphire ATI Radeon 9800PRO Video Card (retail)
-Plextor 16x Dual Layer DVD Burner (SATA)
-Windows XP Home Edition (Professional simply not needed)
-Antec PSU 300W SmartPower
-1GB RAM
-Microsoft Wireless Keyboard & Mouse
-LG Flatron 1980U 19" LCD 12ms Response
Note: items in blue are either on hand, or on order
The price for all the above is in the $1,700 range.
I'm not totally certain on whether the built-in firewire is really needed. If not, I'll save a few dollars by downgrading to the Giga-Byte GA-K8NS-939, which leaves out firewire as well as dropping 2 SATA connectors.
As for the PSU, I already have a new Antec 300W power supply on-hand. If I determine it isn't enough, I'll look at an upgraded model - possibly the True 330W, or True 380W. It appears unlikely that additional peripherals will be added, so the True 430W is out.
As for the video card, I'm still looking to stay with the ATI Radeon series. I don't need the super performance I originally thought I'd need, but I still want something that gives great performance. I'm open to suggestions in this area.
One item I did not list is the HSF unit. I could really use some recommendations. Please keep in mind that I don't want anything that sounds like an F4 getting ready to launch from inside the computer. I don't reasonably expect it to be perfectly silent, but I would like the right combination of performance/noise level/price.
Quote from: scuzzy on April 05, 2005, 23:56 hrsAs for the video card, I'm still looking to stay with the ATI Radeon series. I don't need the super performance I originally thought I'd need, but I still want something that gives great performance. I'm open to suggestions in this area.
The 9800 Pro gives best "bang for buck" if you're staying with ATI. The GeForce 6600/GT may perform better with some games, and will run cooler when at idle.
Quote from: scuzzy on April 05, 2005, 23:56 hrsOne item I did not list is the HSF unit. I could really use some recommendations. Please keep in mind that I don't want anything that sounds like an F4 getting ready to launch from inside the computer. I don't reasonably expect it to be perfectly silent, but I would like the right combination of performance/noise level/price.
I use the Scythe FCS-50 (it's reviewed on SPCR). On the slowest speed it's very quiet and still cools the CPU well enough.
acrtic cooling copper 2 silent, it really is, silent :)
with my air cooled psu and just my hsf fan on, i cant hear the pc at all, which is pretty cool :)
even with it running at full whak... ;D
trust me, you wont be disappointed (they do 939 models also, same design, so i am guessing the same performance/sound result.
Igloo
The AC Freezer 64 is supposed to be very quiet.
Having said that the stock chipset cooling on the majority of nForce3/4 boards will drown any noise out.
The 300 watt Antec would be sufficient, but at least 350 would be nice. The HP we just got for the store is an Athlon 64 3200+ 754, and I added a Geforce FX5500, and it runs fine with only a 250watt PSU. You are using a more power hungary video card, so the extra 50watts are deffinently needed. It would probably be fine with 300watt, but a 350 would be a nice buffer.
Thanks for the advice on the HSF units. As time allows, I will look into those.
Also, thanks for the heads-up on the GeForce 6600/GT. I will give it serious consideration before making a final decision. PC Magazine gave the BFG GeForce 6600GT OC (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1774897,00.asp) very high marks, although it doesn't come with any fancy software. According to PC Mag, the card is slightly OC'd at the factory to boost its performance, and is warranted for life with 24/7 support.
The 6600 series are great cards for the price. Also, when they say warranty for life, make sure it's the life of your item, not the life of the card being sold, as PNY does.
The Fong Kai FK-333 case arrived two days ago, and I finally have the chance to give an update. Let me start out by saying that I'm really upset. I'm really upset that I only bought one, and that I committed this one to my daughter. ;D
The case is pure elegance in simplicity. It is beautifully constructed, and appears well thought out. I'm sure it isn't perfect, but I really like what I see. Just keep in mind that I only had about 10 minutes to play around with it.
The case comes with a Delta Electronics DPS-320EB (320 watt) power supply, which I believe is also used by some HP computers. I don't know much about this particular PSU, but it seems rather anemic. I'm sure I'll be replacing it with a quality unit.
It's a shame this unit is not easily available. When I spoke with the factory rep, he said they only had a few left. I won't poast the rep's info here, but PM me if you are really interested in buying one of these ($135 delivered in USA).
This case review is pretty much right on target:
Fong Kai FK330 Review (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article127-page1.html)
Lastly, thanks for bringing this case to my attention, Chandler. Maybe I can help you get your paws on one. ;)
I haven't ordered it yet, but I'll be purchasing the Antec TP-II 380 power supply (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=22380). It is currently selling for $79 + $6.99 S/H at NewEgg (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=17-103-927&depa=0).
My reasons for selecting this model, in no particular order:
-Supports 4 SATA drives
-380W will allow for upgrades
-120mm fan varies by load, providing quieter operation
-Antec quality
-Supports PCI-E, if I choose that route
-Option to directly run case fans via PSU thermal control
This PSU is probably overkill for my daughter's needs. A high-quality 300W is likely sufficient. However, I prefer to err in favor of too much PSU than not enough. This unit certainly looks solid enough.
nice psu there ;D
i will look at it when choosing one for my mod case ??? 8)
Igloo
Quote from: scuzzy on April 08, 2005, 13:44 hrs
I haven't ordered it yet, but I'll be purchasing the Antec TP-II 380 power supply (http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=22380). It is currently selling for $79 + $6.99 S/H at NewEgg (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=17-103-927&depa=0).
My reasons for selecting this model, in no particular order:
-Supports 4 SATA drives
-380W will allow for upgrades
-120mm fan varies by load, providing quieter operation
-Antec quality
-Supports PCI-E, if I choose that route
-Option to directly run case fans via PSU thermal control
This PSU is probably overkill for my daughter's needs. A high-quality 300W is likely sufficient. However, I prefer to err in favor of too much PSU than not enough. This unit certainly looks solid enough.
You need a special power supply for PCI-e? Or do you just mean the amount of power provided?
The PSU specifically has PCI Express graphic card power connectors.
Avoid the Epox EP-9NDA3+/J. I've had so many problems with this board it is unbelievable:
1) PCI Slot 5 generates excessive interrupts with Audigy card. Other cards do not do this but suffer a resource conflict.
2) nVidia graphics card interferes with Audigy 2 ZS in any slot. Removing the Audigy or using an ATI card works fine. With the nVidia cards I get unresolved resource conflict and hence AGP card only runs in VGA mode.
3) If system hangs, the keyboard behaves erratically upon restarting
Chandler,
Wasn't the NF7-S2 the one you had that was so slow?
Surely ther must be an alternative?
Bill
Does the PSU I chose support the 24 pin interface? I believe it does.
Chandler, thanks for the heads up. I am also sorry you are having such bad luck with mobos. The A64 motherboard I like right now is a Nforce 4 MSI board. Seems really nice, and MSI should be a good brand.
My last two boards have been MSI. K7N2 Delta (NForce 2) and now a K8N Neo Platinum (NForce 3). Can't say a bad word about them.
The list narrows. What's in blue I already have, what's in green is on order, and what's in red has yet to be purchased. Prices shown include S/H, if any.
- Fong Kai FK-333 Case $134.31
- Seagate 160GB SATA HDD w/8MB Cache (OEM) $106.99
- Misumi Floppy/USB2 Flash Card Combo Reader $28.99
- PowerColor ATI Radeon 9800PRO Video Card (retail) $159.00
- VGA Silencer Rev. 3 for ATI Radeon $22.98
- Antec TPII 380 PSU $85.99
- 1GB Corsair Value Select PC3200 (2x512MB) $87.00
- ASUS A8V Deluxe motherboard $125.50
- Windows XP Home Edition $88.95
- AMD 64 3200+ Winchester Core (retail)
- Some aftermarket HSF unit - undecided which one
- Plextor 16x Dual Layer DVD Burner (SATA)
- Microsoft Wireless Keyboard & Mouse
- LG Flatron 1980Q 19" LCD 8ms Response
I opted for the PowerColor ATI Radeon 9800Pro Retail (128MB, 256 bit) instead of the equivalent Sapphire card. The price was quite a bit better, and the reviews are excellent. I also decided to go with the AMD 64 3200+ Winchester instead of the 64 3000+.
The LG Flatron monitor will most likely be purcased locally. I also decided on the LG 1980Q instead of the 1980U. The "U" has a response time of 12ms, whereas the "Q" sports 8ms for pretty much the same price. All else is the same.
The Winchester uses less power and runs cooler, so I reccomend going that route, as I hope to.
I considered switching out my case and PSU I recently purchased for that PSU, but it would end up costing me too much just to get an unnecessary upgrade to PCIe. It should serve your purposes well. The RAM you ordered is also the RAM I am looking at, great choice. All in all, I really like that system. I personally would get an Nforce mobo and an NEC DVD-burner, but I understand why you opted otherwise. Plexors are very good, and the SATA cleanliness is nice.
looks nice to me, i second his advice on the winnie core, :)
Igloo
Uh, I am selecting the Winchester core. As a matter of fact, I already bought it. Here's another update:
[size=0](What's in blue I have, green is on order, and red isn't purchased yet. Prices include S/H, if any.)[/size]
- Fong Kai FK-333 Case $134.31
- Seagate 160GB SATA HDD w/8MB Cache (OEM) $106.99
- Misumi Floppy/USB2 Flash Card Combo Reader $28.99
- PowerColor ATI Radeon 9800PRO Video Card (retail) $159.00
- VGA Silencer Rev. 3 for ATI Radeon $22.98
- Antec TPII 380 PSU $85.99
- 1GB Corsair Value Select PC3200 (2x512MB) $87.00
- ASUS A8V Deluxe motherboard $125.50
- Windows XP Home Edition $88.95
- AMD 64 3200+ Winchester Core (retail) $190.00
- Zalman CNPS7000B-AlCu HSF $43.99
- Vantec "Stealth" SF12025L 120mm Case Fan $16.98
- Plextor 16x Dual Layer DVD Burner (SATA)
- Keyboard & Mouse
- LG Flatron 1980Q 19" LCD 8ms Response
I had hoped to order the Plextor 16x SATA burner today, but it wasn't available at NewEgg. I may get the rest of what I need locally just to get this finished.
I'm sorry. I saw that, and I meant to type I'm glad you are going that route, as I hope to. My fault. ;)
Anyways, good luck with the system. Continue keeping us updated!
I picked up a Plextor PX-716A "E-IDE" 16x dual-layer DVD burner instead of an "SATA" model. As it turns out, an SATA optical drive won't work well with the ASUS A8V Deluxe motherboard I selected. According to Plextor, hooking up an SATA to the RAID controller (VIA VT8237) used by my mobo "Operates in PIO mode only--can not achieve optimum performance." (Click here for more info (http://www.plextor.com/english/support/media_712SA.htm)) An aftermarket SATA controller (PCI card) would have worked, but it defeats the purpose of a cleaner layout inside the box. I might have considered it if there was a significant performance boost, but such is not the case.
I also picked up the last LG 1980Q LCD monitor (8ms response) that my local Best Buy had. With tax, it came out to about $644, and came with a $70 mail-in rebate. Of course, I have as much faith in mail-in rebates as I do in magic potions.
This is turning out to be one heck of a graduation present!!
You sure this isn't for dad with a "currently owned" notebook for the new Doc??
Bill
Hey Scuzzy!
My wife's birthday is next Tuesday, so how about building an AMD64 machine for her? Then we can have two AMD64 machines at the price of one (the one I built a few months ago). ;D
Nope, not a birthday. The system is a present for her graduating from LSU (Louisiana) this upcoming August. She will be a Physician Assistant, and she gets married the week after the graduation.
Okay, first Bill says "great birthday present" then corrects it, making me look like I don't know what I'm talking about. Next, Mark wants me to foot the bill for his wife's computer. Plus, he wants me to do all the work.
Come on, Mark. It's really for you, isn't it? ;)
Quote from: scuzzy on April 16, 2005, 22:48 hrsAn aftermarket SATA controller (PCI card) would have worked, but it defeats the purpose of a cleaner layout inside the box. I might have considered it if there was a significant performance boost, but such is not the case.
True, an add-in SATA PCI controller would probably perform worse than an IDE drive using an onboard controller. The onboard IDE controller will be off the PCI bus so it has it's own share of bandwidth. A PCI SATA controller uses a significant portion of PCI bandwidth (in fact they are easily capable of saturating it).
If you use "cable-gami" you should be able to get a neat layout with IDE.
They should have addressed using PCIe to replace the non GFX cards first, as they are the ones truely lacking bandwidth.
All the parts are finally on-hand, and it's time to get to work.
Click the photo for larger image:
(http://www.poasters.com/photos/comp1.jpg) (http://www.poasters.com/photos/comp2.jpg)
As you can tell, I decided to add a Lite-on DVD-ROM. I figure it would be better for playback, so that it gets the wear and tear instead of the Plextor. Plus, it simplifies copying music, etc.
Good luck. May all your troubles be little ones. You are going to love the Flatron.
Bill
Ive never seen so many computer components ready for a build good luck and best wishes.
It's alive! No time for details, but the new computer booted up on the first try. With all 4 fans running at full speed (CPU, case, video, & PSU), the system is amazingly quiet. CPU temp is a steady 38 celcius, and it should improve over the next week.
Gotta go. It's late, and I'm tired. Hopefully I can setup the HDD and install Windows in the next day or two.
congrats ;D
Scuzzy,
Just in case, when you get ready to load XP and Sata drivers, the "Press F6 to load third party drivers" option comes up quickly and early in the process after you start the XP CD.
I missed it, twice.
Bill
Geez. Getting the SATA drivers to coordinate with Windows setup was a pain. It took 3 or 4 tries. :P
I installed Windows XP Home using a slipstream CD that I created from the original Windows CD, and everything seems to work properly. As for the Fung Kai case (FK-333), it was a dream to work with. I'll get some pics going sometime in the next couple days.
There were some issues with the packaging of parts. The Zalman HSF unit came in an indestructable package. I had to use heavy duty wire cutters to get the stupid package opened, and I easily spent 10 minutes fighting with it. On the other hand, the AMD 64 3200+ (retail) was packaged in a completely worthless green packing. Once I poast the pictures you'll see how pathetic the packaging is. There were pieces and dust of the broken green packing all over the HSF and CPU.
I used Antec Silver 5 (same as Artic Silver 5) for the CPU and the GPU. What a pain that stuff is. It is thick and heavy, and almost as difficult as trying to evenly spread cold butter on cold toast.
Anyway, thanks to all for your input and ideas. What a great group you guys are.
wow, that was quick! Congratulations on the boot upon first post.
Why did you go with Antec Silver instead of Arctic Silver? Did Antec offer a bundle deal with the PSU?
"Antec" Silver 5 and "Arctic" Silver 5 are the same product, just repackaged. I forgot to order it from NewEgg and ended up buying it at my local Circuit City. Of course, it cost a lot more. ::)
Ah, so Antec has a cross-licensing deal with the Arctic Silver people. Interesting.