Basic AMD64 gaming system

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thrashd

[H]ard|Gawd
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Mar 15, 2003
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System for a friend, he has a max 700$ budget.
This is what I have no, prices from Newegg:
Soltek K8an2e - 89$
Radeon 9600XT 256mg - 150$
AMD Athlon64 3000+ socket 754 - 150$
Crucial PC3200 512 - 130$
Samsung 80gb 7200rpm 61$
Generic 30$ ATX case
Antec 380w - 60$

Total 612$

Any major problems? Ideas? Think I could do better? Should I stick the extra 88$ into more ram or a beter video card?
 
For a few extra bucks, I would look at a different Mobo and maybe replace that Samsung drive with a WD. It should still get you under the 700 bucks :cool:
 
thrashd said:
Any major problems? Ideas? Think I could do better? Should I stick the extra 88$ into more ram or a beter video card?
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I'd go for a better vid card
 
thrashd said:
What do you think about the LANPARTY UT nF3 250G?
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Probably the best s754 board out there... The Chaintech VNF3-250 is pretty good too I think and it's quite cheap (around the same as the Soltek you've got up there). It got positive marks on the Anandtech review and a few users on the boards have reported good experiences with it.

The Samsung HD is fine, they tend to be quieter than all the major brands 'cept maybe Seagate.

Edit: Just checked Newegg and the Chaintech is actually cheaper than the Soltek, it's $72, quite a steal imo. If you're in between shelling out a bit more cash for a faster vid card (maybe a 9800 Pro for not much more or even a 6800nu if BB still has 'em for $250) or going with the Lanparty I'd budget for a better vid card first. 'Specially if your friend doesn't plan to OC, the Chaintech is great at stock speeds.
 
I just used the Chaintech VNF3-250 for my first build. Works great for me, but then again I'm an average user.

I got a refurbished Crucial 9700 Pro w/ 128MB for $129.99.
 
You could save a few bucks swapping the Antec PSU for a Fortron Source, say a 350W. Quite a nice PSU, and more than enough for that setup. I'd suggest the single 120mm fan model. Nice & quiet.
Also, you should be able to get a gig for ~$150. Corsair value select or something like that. So an extra $30 in ram, then up the vid card to a 9800pro or 6800le. I know "le" sucks, but it's still a 6800 and performs about like the other $200 option. I haven't read enough reviews to know which is better, other than an NV is better than an ATI if you run Linux and don't have that "open source software only" ideology embedded in your brain.

edit: ~$150 for 2x512
 
zandor said:
You could save a few bucks swapping the Antec PSU for a Fortron Source, say a 350W.
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I think 350W is kinda pushing it. I would recommend at least a 400W PSU.
 
Actually, I'm thinking the ram vs. vid card decision is mostly tied to your friend's expected future upgrade budget.
If he doesn't expect to be able to spend say $80 on his rig in the next year or so, I'd say spend the extra $$$ getting to a gig of regular ram & get a 9800pro/6800le or better vid card. If he expects to have more cash coming later I'd try to move up to a 6800 or 6800GT & stick with 1x512 for now and add a second ram module later.
Basically the idea is it's better to get enough ram now and upgrade to a "good" amount later than it is to short a part (like a vid card) that has to be replaced in its entirety.
 
Liam said:
I think 350W is kinda pushing it. I would recommend at least a 400W PSU.
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Umm... no.
One proc, 1 vid card, an HD, and an optical needs 400W?
I've got a duallie P3-1.0 w/ 4 drives on a 300W Enermax. No problems. I also managed to overload a 400W Antec. That took some work though. dual procs, bunch of SCSIs, gas-guzzling vid card + 5 other cards, etc..
My sister in law has a 2600+, 2 HDs, and a 5900 running happily off of a 300W Fortron. That used to be my brother's rig, but I'd rather not talk about that. :(
Just plugging in a 6800GT might fry a 400W "Powerup" PSU or some other shit brand, but a 350W Fortron is plenty for that rig. Besides, total wattage is useless anyway. You have to look at the individual rails. That 400W I overloaded was well under 400W load... I just had more 5V load than it could handle.
 
zandor said:
Umm... no.
One proc, 1 vid card, an HD, and an optical needs 400W?
I've got a duallie P3-1.0 w/ 4 drives on a 300W Enermax. No problems. I also managed to overload a 400W Antec. That took some work though. dual procs, bunch of SCSIs, gas-guzzling vid card + 5 other cards, etc..
My sister in law has a 2600+, 2 HDs, and a 5900 running happily off of a 300W Fortron. That used to be my brother's rig, but I'd rather not talk about that. :(
Just plugging in a 6800GT might fry a 400W "Powerup" PSU or some other shit brand, but a 350W Fortron is plenty for that rig. Besides, total wattage is useless anyway. You have to look at the individual rails. That 400W I overloaded was well under 400W load... I just had more 5V load than it could handle.
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It really depends on the PSU. A high quality enermax would kill a generic with 150w more. I managed to run an AMD64 2.0ghz oc'd to 2.4 with 2 HDs, 2 opticals and 6800 on an HEC with 15A on the 12v (supposedly a NO-NO) just fine since I had a quality PSU.
 
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