Need to build 12 Systems, Please Help!

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HK-Viper1-

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Hello,

I have to build 12 gaming systems (PC's). The PC's are for a local gaming buissines that will be opening very soon and I need all the help I can get in creating a build. Each PC is going to have to handle any pc game out there today. I also have to build a server that all these PC's will be connected to and be controlled by it. The server will also be running website, forum and online gaming in the near future.

System build will be built around Intel 2 duo core processors, Asus MB, Corsair XMS, BFG VC and Western Digital hard drive.

Server, well, I never built one, but I hear that Tyan servers are the best?

Budget is approximately $10k

Please if someone that really knows can help me here it will be greatly appreciated. I need to try and stay within budget.

Thank You in Advance...
 
Wow, 10k per system I hope...

If you have to buy a monitor for each system, along with mouse, keyboard, and dvd drive, you are in some trouble. I will see what I can do though to help.

Also, do you need an OS with each?

If so, I did the math. 12 OEM Homepremiums would be around $1200
Now on the monitors, say you could find a 19'' for 200. $2400

10,000
-3,600

6,400 left for 12 computers. You are on a VERY strict budget.

I would say ask for the budget to be upped by ATLEAST 3,000. If not 5,000.
 
I usually always by from the egg. so if I present them with a build and tell them that I need "X" amount of parts and a new bussiness account then I think they would give better pricing.

Thank you Kehl & Funcoot for your quick replies...

Sorry, I did not relies, but the server will be an expense on its own. It is not to be mistaken in the $10k.
Sorry for the edits!! I just contacted the bussiness owner and the Monitors are not part of the $10k.
 
Actually I read somewhere they don't do reseller plans, now I know this isn't a reseller plan, but they still might shoot you down. Either way, it is still worth a shot. Let us know how it goes and give us updates with pictures!!! :D
 
yeah you seriously need to up the budget. the os and monitor alone takes a big chunk out of the whole budget.
 
I did the math 6,400 divided by twelve approximately gives you 533 monies. Time to get some bank account information so you can wire him deh monies!

fonejacker.jpg
 
edit: scroll down for diffrent setup with OP diff budget.

perhaps you should get this setup for each computer:
$90 P35 Motherboard
$70 E2160 Processor
$27 ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
$45 G. Skill 2x1gb DDR2 800mhz
$39 Western Digital Caviar 80gb 8mb cache
$50 Antec Earthwatts 430w
$30 Optical Drive
$170 9600gt 512mb
$40 COOLER MASTER Elite 330 RC-330
=$561

-p35 motherboard good budget motherboard
-e2160 good budget processor with good ocing abilities
-artic cooler is cheap and can help oc the e2160 to 3.0ghz
-2gb is good enough
-80gb should be good enough to store games
-antec earthwatts is a good budget brand psu
-basic optical drive is all thats needed
-9600gt 512mb is the new mid range card that will fit in the budget. its capable of playing most games out right now at highest settings except crysis which no card can handle on its own or even sli... if you have about $40 more dollars move up to the 8800gt.
-case is good budget from good brand. ventilation on side and 120mm rear fan. if you can find another case with intake and outake thatll be ideal.
 
crhscoog said:
perhaps you should get his:
$90 P35 Motherboard
$70 E2160 Processor
$27 ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
$45 G. Skill 2x1gb DDR2 800mhz
$39 Western Digital Caviar 80gb 8mb cache
$50 Antec Earthwatts 430w
$30 Optical Drive
$170 8800gt 512mb
$40 COOLER MASTER Elite 330 RC-330
=$561
Click to expand...

Seems like a pretty solid build. What he just posted is your best bet, still try to up your budget and try to get E4500s at least though.
 
Funcoot said:
Actually I read somewhere they don't do reseller plans, now I know this isn't a reseller plan, but they still might shoot you down. Either way, it is still worth a shot. Let us know how it goes and give us updates with pictures!!! :D
Click to expand...

I will call them tomorrow from work when I have time to feel them out and see what they say. But i need to give them some type of configuration of a build.

The owner told me Best Buy estimated $12k with keyboard & mouse. But does not know what type of configuration was estimated...I edited my last reply and the monitors and server are not part of the budget...
 
HK-Viper1- said:
I edited my last reply and the monitors and server are not part of the budget...
Click to expand...

ok then 10k - 1.2k = 8.8k/ 12systems = approx 733.33 for each system.

$90 GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L
$120 E4500 Processor
$45 G. Skill 2x1gb DDR2 800mhz
$41 Western Digital Caviar 80gb 8mb cache
$90 Antec Earthwatts 500w
$30 Optical Drive
$245 8800GTS G92 512mb
$80 Cooler Master 690
=$741

-motherboard is good for budget and ocing
-e4500.. i was think about having you oc a e2160 but "Wildfire" made a good point about having a oc processor gaming for long hours isnt prob the best idea.
-ram.. 2gb is good for any system and if you oc it you can go into the 1066mhz area possibly
-80gb hd should be sufficient to hold games. spend a few more dollars to get a hd with more hd if want.
-antec earthwatts is a good psu. for $10 more you can get the corsair 550vx which is a really good psu too.
-optical drive.. comes with lightscribe
-8800gts 512mb is a very good graphics card out right now... more 9 series cards coming out this month though. no reviews on them yet though but its known to be more expensive
-cm690 is a very good case. good cooling case that can hold up to 7 120mm case fans if wanted.

go to diff websites to see if there are better deals out there.
 
Abit IP35-E: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813127031 $90
Intel C2D E4500: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115031 $120
BFG 9600gt: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143123 $180
Lian Li AO5B (QUALITY CASES!): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112130 $90
2gb Corsair XMS2: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145175 $58
Western Digital 500gb HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136040 $129 (Get boxed so you don't have to buy $100 worth of cables)
Corsair 650TX (GREAT PSU PERSONAL EXP): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136040 $120

Exact total: $787.94

This setup followed your specifications. Trust me on the PSU and Case, they will not fail you. This is a bit pricey, but totally worth it.

I'm sure he will place keyboards and mice under the same budget as the LCD, so I would recommend these.

Keyboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126022 Nothing fancy, keep it cheap, sleek, and simple.

Mouse: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104178 Overall great mouse.
 
Funcoot said:
Abit IP35-E: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813127031 $90
Intel C2D E4500: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115031 $120
BFG 9600gt: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143123 $180
Lian Li AO5B (QUALITY CASES!): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112130 $90
2gb Corsair XMS2: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145175 $58
Western Digital 500gb HDD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136040 $129 (Get boxed so you don't have to buy $100 worth of cables)
Corsair 650TX (GREAT PSU PERSONAL EXP): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136040 $120

Exact total: $787.94

This setup followed your specifications. Trust me on the PSU and Case, they will not fail you. This is a bit pricey, but totally worth it.

I'm sure he will place keyboards and mice under the same budget as the LCD, so I would recommend these.

Keyboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126022 Nothing fancy, keep it cheap, sleek, and simple.

Mouse: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104178 Overall great mouse.
Click to expand...

you dont need 650w for a system like this. if he went sli then yes. 500gb is alot considering its for a gaming business so only thing thatll be on there really is games.
 
I agree with 650w psu and 500gb hdd being too much.

Also, why aftermarket cpu coolers? Those aren't necessary unless you're going to overclock, and overclocking 10 systems that need to be stable for long gaming sessions doesn't sound like a good idea to me. I say forget cpu coolers and spend the extra money on a faster processor.
 
The 650watt is there for future upgrades. There has been a trend in power consuption of EVERYTHING going up. The same with the 500gb harddrive. Games these days are getting bigger and bigger and 8gb game is becoming a standard now. This will also give him room for future games. I thought this was a local gaming cafe. I was going to recommend the 320gb hdd too, but it was out of stock.

I do kind of agree though, the 550VX would be more than enough.
 
Wildfire788 said:
Also, why aftermarket cpu coolers? Those aren't necessary unless you're going to overclock, and overclocking 10 systems that need to be stable for long gaming sessions doesn't sound like a good idea to me. I say forget cpu coolers and spend the extra money on a faster processor.
Click to expand...

you make a good point.
 
Funcoot said:
The 650watt is there for future upgrades. There has been a trend in power consuption of EVERYTHING going up. The same with the 500gb harddrive. Games these days are getting bigger and bigger and 8gb game is becoming a standard now. This will also give him room for future games. I thought this was a local gaming cafe. I was going to recommend the 320gb hdd too, but it was out of stock.

I do kind of agree though, the 550VX would be more than enough.
Click to expand...

hmm if that person running the business needs a 500gb to hold games... then man i want to go play there :D
 
$90 GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L
$70 E2160 Processor
$27 ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
$45 G. Skill 2x1gb DDR2 800mhz
$41 Western Digital Caviar 80gb 8mb cache
$90 Antec Earthwatts 500w
$30 Optical Drive
$245 8800GTS G92 512mb
$80 Cooler Master 690
=$718
some products have rebates with them so total price will definately go down.

-motherboard is good for budget and ocing
-e2160 can oc real well and is good for budget. you could go with better processor but being that this is for a gaming computer, its better to go for better graphics card.
-cpu cooler will let you oc your e2160 to 3.0ghz or more.
-ram.. 2gb is good for any system and if you oc it you can go into the 1066mhz area possibly
-80gb hd should be sufficient to hold games. spend a few more dollars to get a hd with more hd if want.
-antec earthwatts is a good psu. for $10 more you can get the corsair 550vx which is a really good psu too.
-optical drive.. comes with lightscribe
-8800gts 512mb is a very good graphics card out right now... more 9 series cards coming out this month though. no reviews on them yet though but its known to be more expensive
-cm690 is a very good case. good cooling case that can hold up to 7 120mm case fans if wanted.

go to diff websites to see if there are better deals out there.[/QUOTE]

I like this VC better than the MCI http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143123 $180 & there is a deal when purchasing 2 so price will go down. Only difference I see is mem clock is 1800mhz versus 1945mhz. Not a big difference that anyone would notice.

since saving on VC then I would up processor as Funcoot recomends to this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115032 $140

That being said it brings the tally from $718 to $723. Leaving $110 per unit left to spend.
Would have to find somewhere to purchase OS in a multi license package...
 
Assuming this is a Gaming Cafe (I am counting soon to be released games also)

HL2
HL2 Ep1
HL2 Ep2
HL2 Ep3
CoD2
CoD4
CS
CS:S
DoD:S
WoW
EQ:2
Rainbow6:Vegas 2
HL2: DM
Gmod
Crysis
Farcry2
Gears of War
Gears of War 2 (Coming to PC?)
Unreal Tournament (The latest one)
Battlefield 2
Battlefield 2142
Battlefield Heros
StarCraft
StarCraft 2
Warcraft 3
Warcraft 3 Frozen Throne
Supreme Commander
Supreme Commander expansion
Sins of a Solar Empire
Halo 2
Guild Wars
Guild Wars Factions
Guild Wars some other expansions, forgot the name
Guild Wars 2
Savage 2
Command and Conquer: Tiberium Wars
Warhammer 40k Dawn of War
Warhammer 40k Winter Assault
Warhammer 40k Dark Crusade
Warhammer 40k That new expansion



As you can see the list goes ON AND ON. This list was compiled in under 4 minutes. Think of how many will be on there after thinking for DAYS. They can EASILY approach 500gb.
 
HK-Viper1- said:
some products have rebates with them so total price will definately go down.
Click to expand...

Just about EVERY rebate only allows you one rebate per unique item. So he cannot claim a rebate on say 2 cases. Only one, even if he did purchase 2, he is only allowed for one rebate.
 
i choose to put the 8800gts because i assume the owners want a card thatll last awhile. perhaps you should convince the people to raise budget if the new 9 series cards (9800gtx in particular) is worth it. they should come out later this month. 9600gt no doubt is good but its more meant to be the new midrange although it plays most games out right now at high settings.
 
crhscoog said:
you make a good point.
Click to expand...


i deffinately agree with Wildfire here. I will not be O'cing here, and besides. The case you recomended has plenty of cooling fan options if needed.

As far as HD's are concern. Remember that these computers will be playing off a server that will be carring most of the needed space. 80gbs is plenty to load the favorites on each machine and the server would be carrying it all...

crhscoog, if all works out as we are planning then you would be able to play from were you are at this moment. Just need to register, login, purchase time of play and maybe even games as well.....
 
HK-Viper1- said:
crhscoog, if all works out as we are planning then you would be able to play from were you are at this moment. Just need to register, login, purchase time of play and maybe even games as well.....
Click to expand...

Remote gaming?!?! :eek:
 
Funcoot said:
Idea!!! Hit up your local bestbuy to see if you can get that rocket fish full tower for 41 bucks. If so buy all the ones they have! They would be perfect for your build.

They are big, shiny, and clean.
Click to expand...

A nice aluminum case for a gaming center? I think not, they will need something that can take a little bit of abuse. Stick with steel.

OP - you seem a little discombobulated here. I suggest doing your homework on the hardware and getting a clear idea on what you want out of this. Also, are you going to be providing support for these PC's, what is your warranty? On the server side - are you setting this up, do you know what you are doing?

I don't mean to poop on your opportunity, but some of the questions you are asking here are setting off my alarm bells.
 
[LYL]Homer;1032215345 said:
A nice aluminum case for a gaming center? I think not, they will need something that can take a little bit of abuse. Stick with steel.
Click to expand...

Why would they even be touching the cases?
 
Funcoot said:
Why would they even be touching the cases?
Click to expand...

Because it's there? Who knows wtf people are going to do if you have a dozen people per day using the pc.

What if the cases sit on the floor? One kick or good bump and the case is dented for good if it's aluminum. I'd say get something black, steel, and that can take a little bit of abuse.
 
You may want to make a few changes to the setups offered by chrscoog and Funcoot. First, I suggest purchasing the NSK4480 case w/ EarthWatts 380 watt power supply. Since you're not using a lot of components (CPU, two sticks of RAM, one hard drive, one optical drive, one mid-range GPU), the EarthWatts 380W PSU can handle the load for your system. The case is also made of steel, so it can handle some abuse.

I'd also drop the CPU down to an E4500. $15 by itself isn't a lot of savings, but since you're buying parts for 12 systems ($15 x 12 = $180), and you also have to buy a multi-user OS license, every little bit helps.

With a 19 inch LCD, the 9600GT is a good choice. But if you need to save some money, an 8800GS or an HD3850 would make effective alternatives.

You may want to reconsider and get a drive with at least 250GB of storage. Or even 160GB -- they average around $10 more for double the capacity of an 80GB drive. I don't know how well "remote gaming" would work out if there were multiple people playing different games at the same time. (Wouldn't that stress out the server?)

The only discounts you should expect are volume (mutiple item) discounts; mail-in rebates were designed for single-user/family PCs.

You may have to contact Microsoft directly for multi-user licenses. That's not really something sold by most retailers.

Here's another setup to consider:

$80 - Antec NSK4480 mid-tower ATX case with EarthWatts 380W PSU
$3 - Kingwin F-01B 3-pin (mobo) or 4-pin (Molex) 80mm case fan (for NSK4480 - shipping discount for multiple purchases)
$95 - Asus P5K SE Intel P35 ATX (free shipping)
$125 - Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 retail package (free shipping)
$53 - Corsair XMS2 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800 kit (free shipping)
$49 - Western Digital WD1600AAJS 160GB SATA/300 hard drive
$18 - Lite-On 16x DVD-ROM SATA drive
$180 - BFG 9600GT (free shipping when you buy two or more)
=====
$603 - Subtotal (not including shipping)

You have a relatively cheap yet effective gaming machine for around $600. Shipping will be the unknown factor, but with some items having no shipping fees and some items with volume shipping discounts, it shouldn't be too bad (hopefully).
 
tiraides said:
You may want to make a few changes to the setups offered by chrscoog and Funcoot.
Click to expand...

There are some problems with your build though. He wanted you to pick specific brands, I mean yeah you saved money but I am guessing they have some kind of advertising niche. Other than that I would say good build.
 
Funcoot said:
There are some problems with your build though. He wanted you to pick specific brands, I mean yeah you saved money but I am guessing they have some kind of advertising niche. Other than that I would say good build.
Click to expand...

Oy... I goofed... I fixed my original post.
 
I would disagree with going with the stock heatsink. A more efficient transfer of heat will result in systems that can handle higher ambient temps and are generally more stable and reliable. I'd recommend a E2200 or E4500 for overclocking potential.
 
Fenris_Ulf said:
I would disagree with going with the stock heatsink. A more efficient transfer of heat will result in systems that can handle higher ambient temps and are generally more stable and reliable. I'd recommend a E2200 or E4500 for overclocking potential.
Click to expand...
Overclocking is a generally bad idea -- though the business is in gaming, the last thing the OP or the owner would want is a bad overclock shutting a system down for any long period of time. In many cases, overclocking voids the warranties of all of the overclocked parts, which could make replacing parts costly in the long run (if they have to buy replacement parts instead of returning them via RMA).

I can't argue against the benefits of utilizing a better CPU cooler, but two other factors to consider are the shipping costs and the cost of a multi-user Windows license. I tried to keep my build around $600 for that reason. There aren't many sub-$30 HSFs (outside of the AC Freezer 7 Pro) that perform significantly better than the stock HSF. If the processors aren't going to be overclocked -- and honestly, they shouldn't -- then the stock HSF would be fine.
 
tiraides said:
Overclocking is a generally bad idea -- though the business is gaming, the last thing the OP or the owner would want is a bad overclock shutting a system down for a long period of time. In many cases, overclocking voids the parts' warranties, which could make replacing parts costly in the long run (if they have to buy replacement parts instead of returning them via RMA).

I can't argue against the benefits of utilizing a better CPU cooler, but two other factors to consider are the shipping costs and the cost of a multi-user Windows license. I tried to keep my build around $600 for that reason. If the processors aren't going to be overclocked -- and honestly, they shouldn't -- then the stock HSF would be fine.
Click to expand...

Well, if you're going to go that route, why not just get a bunch of inexpensive Dell Inspirons and add a 8800GT and a couple extra gigs of ram? You can get one with a 24" monitor and Q6600 for about $700 shipped. Another $200-250 for VC and memory and you're set. You also get the advantage of a big monitor, quad core, warantee, copy of Windows, and not having to build it yourself. You could probably get a bulk discount as well.
 
Funcoot said:
Just about EVERY rebate only allows you one rebate per unique item. So he cannot claim a rebate on say 2 cases. Only one, even if he did purchase 2, he is only allowed for one rebate.
Click to expand...

Oh no, really? So if I'm buying two video cards that have a $30 rebate each, I can only get one? :(
 
Fenris_Ulf said:
Well, if you're going to go that route, why not just get a bunch of inexpensive Dell Inspirons and add a 8800GT and a couple extra gigs of ram? You can get one with a 24" monitor and Q6600 for about $700 shipped. Another $200-250 for VC and memory and you're set. You also get the advantage of a big monitor, quad core, warantee, copy of Windows, and not having to build it yourself. You could probably get a bulk discount as well.
Click to expand...

You know, that's a good idea... but I don't know whether or not the OP though of that already. (I take it that, with his insistence on specific brand names to be used in the build, he already has considered it.)

Syribo said:
Oh no, really? So if I'm buying two video cards that have a $30 rebate each, I can only get one? :(
Click to expand...

In most cases, yes; but read the rules/guidelines on the rebate form(s) to be sure.
 
tiraides said:
You know, that's a good idea... but I don't know whether or not the OP though of that already. (I take it that, with his insistence on specific brand names to be used in the build, he already has considered it.)
Click to expand...

I think most people just don't like Dell or they think that it's not "1337" enough. Frankly, for a business I think it's one of the best solutions. Let Dell do the tech support and deal with the warranty issues. Plus, the cost just can't be beat, Dell buys in such quantity that you just can't match it. My personal systems are always custom, but I like to overclock and am very particular about what goes into my system (I've been building and case modding since the 386 days). For a business, reliability, configuration standardization, and warranty are what's important. This isn't a case mod showcase, it's going to be dark and nobody's going to look at the case.
 
I like the way a local gaming cafe here does it. They're all custom made and have really cool lights that like fluctuate and stuff, in the dark all together they look really cool. And they have them in the air on a platform in a daisy-chain pattern.
 
Azureth said:
I like the way a local gaming cafe here does it. They're all custom made and have really cool lights that like fluctuate and stuff, in the dark all together they look really cool. And they have them in the air on a platform in a daisy-chain pattern.
Click to expand...

god I hate led lit cases.
 
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