Decisions, Decisions (<$1800 comp)

T

Toilet Duck

Limp Gawd
Joined
May 22, 2005
Messages
190
After a good bit of question asking in the various forums around here, I think I've almost finally decided on the parts for my new comp. I intend to use it to tinker around with mild-moderate OC'ing, gaming, and.. err.. well, that's about it. Anywho, here's the list/my reasoning for getting each part.. There's still a few things I'm uncertain/undecided on, so any opinions/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Note: I might be able to find better prices by shopping around.. newegg links are just for reference purposes.

Case: Undecided
Reason: Erm.. because there's a lotta variety out there. I have no clue what to look for here, either. Seems kinda amusing that I'm posting a list of parts I intend to get without knowing what I'm gonna toss them all inside, eh? Oh well.. I need some suggestions here.

Mobo: DFI Lanparty UT nF4 Ultra-D ~ $129
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136152
Reason: Well, I'm a bit too cheap to go with SLI, and this board seems to get solid reviews all around. The only similar product was the MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum, but I haven't seen as many positive reviews about it.

Proc: A64 3700+ San Diego ~$325
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103539
Reason: It was this or a 3200+ Venice. Since I don't intend to do any major overclocking, and had just a little money to spare budget wise, I figured I wouldn't skimp on the proc. Extra cache can't hurt... but then again, If I'm really hurting for cash after finalizing the purchases, this is one of the questionable things that may be swapped out.

PSU: OCZ Powerstream 520w ~$120
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103924
Reason: Eh, it was suggested. Doesn't have split 12v, but since I'm not SLI-ing I don't think it's an issue. Looks solid, and has warranty..

Video: Sapphire x800xl Ultimate Edition ~$325
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102538
or HIS x800xl P-ICE80XN ~$299
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814161132
Reason: Well, I don't have a real reason to stick with X800XLs. If there's 6800GT/Ultras in the same price range that outperform, feel free to suggest. As for the two listed above, both come pre-mounted with aftermarket cooling solutions.. so I can avoid the hassle of doing that myself. The HIS looks particularily nicely priced, but is out of stock. Ack, now the Sapphire is too... :mad:

Ram: 2 x Crucial 1GB DDR400 ~$210
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820146545
Reason: After quite a bit of a "learning experience" in the Memory forums, it looks like there's no reason not to get these. The Corsair "Dual Channel" platinum-shiny sticks are $16 more expensive, but supposedly don't OC as well. I'm still a little wary of buying not-so-fancy-looking stuff, but eh.

Sound: Creative Audigy 2 ZS ~$71
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102178
Sennheiser PC160 Headset ~$75
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16826159413
Reason: Can't have loud speakers for the most part, so headsets are a must (Although, I'd still use them even if I could have speakers..) Audigy 2 is sorta tried-and-true for games/mid-level audio, and the Senn headset doesn't look to shabby, either.

Hard Drives: WD Raptor 74GB ~$166
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144160
Maxtor Maxline III 300GB ~$185
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822144363
Reason: Raptors are about as fast as you can get, HD wise.. but the price keeps bothering me. The Maxtor's got a 16mb cache, decent pricetag, and a 5 year warranty for less than the identical DiamondMax 10 drive, so it'll make a solid storage drive. I could probably skimp here on either drive.. either sacrificing the Raptor's speed for a little more cash to throw around, or more likely sacrificing the extra featuers of the Maxtor for a cheaper drive (since it will only be used to store extra files/movies/things I rarely access). Any suggestions?

Optical Drive: Pioneer Black 16X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 6X DVD+R DL 16X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-R 24X CD-RW 40X CD-ROM 2M Cache IDE DVD Burner ~$48
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827129161
Reason: Sheesh, long "name". I don't have any particular attachement to the drive, but it does everything I'll ever need relatively quickly for sub-$50 bucks. Heck, I could almost skimp on the previously mentioned storage drive and instead dump most of this junk to DVDs... hmm. Of course, if this is a bad drive and someone has a better suggestion for an all-in-one, feel free to say so..

Peripherals/Extras

56k: AOpen FM56PX ~$20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16825131003
Reason: Since I spend the summers away from the wonderful land of broadband, I gotta have.. err. something to connect with. Any better/similarly priced suggestions here wouldn't hurt.

Floppy: Sony Black External USB Floppy ~$28
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16821103510
Reason: Homework. Well, that being said.. I guess it's used in BIOS flashing and other oh-noes situations.. hmm. Speaking of which, I wonder if the mobo supports a USB drive for such things? I'd really rather avoid getting an (admittedly cheaper) internal drive and cluttering up my case with the silly cable.

KB: Saitek Eclipse ~$47
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16823175103
Reason: Completely and totally a splurge... but it glows! Mmmmm... glowy... must... buy. Wonder if you can mod it green....

Mouse: Logitech MX518 ~$40
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16826104178
Reason: Considering how I splurged on the KB, you'd think I'd go with the glow-ey Razorback. But, I checked Bestbuy and they had both on display, and the 518 just fits my hand better. Ah well.

Phew, that took a while to type. A quick and dirty total here is...$1764. I wasn't wanting to go over $1800... but I'm still lacking a case/extra cords and whatnot so I guess it's gotta be done.

So, sorry for the long read. Any suggestions, especially ways to cut the cost just a tad without sacrificing performance, would be appreciated. I also really need some help finding a nice (preferably black) case. Oh, and if anyone sees any glaring compatibility issues/ other problems here, pleeeeease tell me.

Off I go to check on pricings.. if I can shave even $50 off, that should leave enough for a decent case, I think...
 
Don't count on being able to use a USB floppy outside of Windows/your OS
 
A few suggestions:

1) You can pick up a 320GB WD as shown here for $140.
It's not as fast, but for a storage drive, you won't notice the difference.
You will notice the extra 20GB of space and the $45 you saved.

2) Get a regular floppy drive and quit whing about the cable.
You should be able to fold it out of the way quite easily anyway.
Savings of $15.

3) I love my NEC drive and it's about $4 bucks cheaper as well.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827152047

4) You can pickup an OEM X800 XL for $250.
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=M&Product_Code=190527
The ATI Silencer will run you an extra $30.
Savings of $20-$45.

5) Modems are modems - they all suck. Get the cheapest one you can find.
I used this one for a friends computer and it worked fine.
Savings of $11.


Now there are a couple of things I would add:

1) Like you said, you needs a case.
The Antec SLK3000-B is a great no frills case with good cooling that will get the job done.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811129152
you can save another $15 if you order it from Technoweb, which is a pretty decent store.
http://www.techonweb.com/products/productdetail.aspx?id=B48385&src=FG
Cost of $50-$76 shipped.

2) Quality HSF for your CPU.
If you're going to be OCing, you need a good HSF.
The XP-90 is hard to beat. Make sure to add the Panaflo 92mm M1A.
Cost of $33 plus shipping.

3) I'd also add this 120mm fan since your case only comes with one and you need an intake fan.
It's very quiet and pushes a good amount of air.
$9 plus shipping.

4) And don't forget a tube of AS5 if you don't already have some.
http://www.jab-tech.com/customer/product.php?productid=1957&cat=0&page=1
$6 plus shipping.


That's all for now. Everything else looks good, let me know if you have any more questions.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I was already considering the cheaper HD route.. especially since I won't be actively using it (mostly just toss latest movie/file onto it to rot away).

I guess I can do the internal floppy too.. It's just the last one I bought was a POS and broke within a week or two. I figured a slightly higher priced external might be a little higher quality.

Nice call on the NEC. Not only is it a little cheaper, but also just a teensy bit faster in a few areas.

As for the video card, my only question prior to following your advice is this: Are they the same card underneath? I mean, the two I listed/this cheaper card, are they manufactured identically? There's gotta be some difference other than HSF used. If there's nothing substantial, then I guess I should suck it up and install my own Artic Silencer.. heh. It's just that the last time I tried, I was a complete noob and A)Gooped on the silicone paste, B)Didn't double check to make sure it was mounted properly (i.e. not screwed on tightly) and C) Essentially borked an already flaky 9800AIW. I guess I'll have to be more careful this time ;)

Modem wise, meh. Slow is slow.. but I'd prefer something marginally decent. The lines out here are pretty lousy, and I suspect a low quality modem just might not cut it. But then again, I'm no expert.

Heheh.. the case you recommended amuses me. Probably because I have a nearly identical one sitting here next to me that I used for my first build attempt. The only noticeable differences are this one came with a 350w PSU and didn't have the holes on the removable side panel. I'm guessing that circular hole is for an extra fan to blow on the vidcard? Would that be necessary if I had a Silencer on the card?

If I'm doing the vidcard heatsink myself.. I guess it can't hurt to try the CPU one, too. I just hope I don't bork this.. Ah, but one thing: Is there any particular reason to use the 120mm fan you linked over any other? Same goes for the 91mm Panaflo..

Anywho, thanks for all the advice... a little more Q&A and things will almost be settled. Yay.. I'll get to be happy and excited until I (as always) manage to break something.... ack! I almost forgot.. I do have a sorta important (cost wise) question: If I already own a copy of XP Pro+ SP1, do I have to buy a new copy for this rig? I sure hope not.. that'd add quite a bit o' cost.

Edit: A minor update. I can't seem to find stuff at the prices you noted. The WD320GB has gone up to $155 price wise, unless the coupon mentioned in the thread is still valid. Likewise, the XP-90 is about 36 and the Panaflo fan is 14. The ATI Silencer 5 for x800xls is abour 32.. all of these prices are w/o shipping factored in. Still, I guess that's arguing over the minor details. Of course.. I haven't really shopped around fully yet..
 
I'd recommend a Samsung brand floppy.
That's the one I have and it's worked great for me.
Any name brand one should be fine.


All the X800 XL cards are going to be based on the same chipset.
Usually the main difference is the game bundle or cooler.
The one I listed is OEM, so you get the card by itself - no games or pretty boxes.

As far as installing the cooler, read the instructions carefully, google some reviews to see exactly how it's done, ask any questions you may have and just take your time.

I'll be installing my first VGA cooler in a couple of weeks, but I know it's not hard since I watched my 14 year old brother put on one his 9600 Pro AIW.


I honestly don't think there will be any difference between the modems.
Best Data is a good brand, and like I said, the one I got worked great.


I believe the intake hole on the side is for the CPU. Intel specs require it for a case to be considered "thermally advantaged" or something like that.

I don't think you really need it for an AMD chip, they run MUCH cooler than the current P4s.


I recommended the Panaflo for the XP-90 because that's the fan Thermalright lists on their site as the preferred fan.

I picked the Yate Loon because it's very quiet, but still pushes a good amount of air.
I've got several of them myself.
Of course, any 120mm fan should work.


Legally, you're only supposed to use your Windows XP on one computer.
If you're still going to be using it on the old computer, Microsoft wants you to buy another license.
If not, there's no reason you can't just install it on the new one, although you may have to activate by phone.
 
Aaaalmost there.. but I have one or two quick questions.

First, about this $250 vidcard. While it's a nice deal.. I can't help but noticing that it doesn't even appear to come with a driver CD? Most OEM stuff at least has that.. so would it be a situation where I'd plug it in and run off of Windows generic vga drivers until I could download/install Catalysts?

Second, about the DFI mobo. I've read a little and it seems a BIOS update would be almost necessary off the bat. But, I'm not quite sure which one.. I guess that's a question for the mobo section.

Then there's the issue of cables.. but meh, that's nothing a short trip can't fix.

Other than that, I'm on my last price/convenience checks, then its time to waste entirely too much money! :p
 
You don't really need a driver CD, IMO.
Just download the latest driver off the ATI website and burn it on a CD.
Or download it onto your new machine when you get it running - that's what I always do.
Driver CDs are usually out of date anyway - I like to use the latest drivers.


As far as flashing the BIOS, I have no idea.
I'd suggest checking out the Motherboard Forums and DFI Street Forums.


Your motherboard should come with all the cables you need.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowI...IA nForce4 Ultra ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail


Good luck ;)
 
I wanted to add something and explain why I took 40+ minutes replying to your thread and answering questions instead of hitting Back like I so often do.

1) You did your homework before posting. You've obviously done research and have picked out great components in almost every category.

2) You stated a clear budget and what you will be using the system for.

3) Your format was neatly written with correct grammar and spelling.
It was easy to read and you provided links.

4) You asked specific questions.


Great job. So all you noobs out there who need advice on your sysem, follow this guy's example and I'm sure you will get more help from us Senior members.
I know if I see a post that someone has obviously put some time and effort into, I'm much more likely to put effort into providing a quality response.
 
A few things between the comp you are buying and the one I am, but there are similarities. I think you should look at the link in my sig. I have all my stuff from Newegg (except the watercooling, that's all from Danger Den), so no extra places to worry about.

My rig is for more heavy OCing and gaming, but is there really a reason to only OC mildly?

If you like what you see in my plan and decide on a 6800GT or 7800 GTX, you won't need a NvSilencer. IMHO they don't cool much better than the stock stuff that is on most high end video cards.

Do you really need a raptor AND a huge storage hdd? What about the hard drive from your old PC? I would cut it down to one of those things.

Your ram will cost a bit more than mine since you are going the 2x 1GB road, but to each his own.

For your PSU I would get one of these three:
Enermax 550w $125 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103437
Seasonic S12-600 $160 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817151025
Seasonic S12-500 $130 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817151024

Getting a Venice 3000+ or 3200+ is a very good idea. I am getting a 3000+ (but then again I'm probably watercooling), so for you get the 3200+. With a 3200+ and a XP-90, you will have no problem hitting high speeds. Since you already have a XP-90 (and a Panaflo, good choice) picked out, there is no reason not to get the 3200+. You are likely to max out at a similar total speed for $125 less

Definitely go with an internal floppy. I have a definite no name brand one and it has served me well for a looong time. PLus they cost like $7! And as someone said, it is not likely to be useful in the situations where you'll need it (flashing and "oopsies") if it's USB.

DFI mobos have great onboard sound. I'd save $70 and not get a sound card. Especially since you say you are going to just be using headphones.

You will probably want to have a fan in that side hole. More case flow can only decrease your temps! Fill up all the slots that don't have fans already with Panaflos! One in the side, one on your XP-90, and if you have a few extra dollars, replace the front and rear fans in your case with Panaflos.

If you do some of what I'm saying, you can save $32 on Silencer5, $20 on floppy, $125 on proc, ~$150 on hdd, so thats $325. If you want, you could get a 7800 GTX instead of a X800XL and still be under your budget. I think you would want it, but if you don't, then stick with the $250 one and buy a ATIsilencer.
 
Skip the sound card, cheapen up the hard drives, and get a 7800.
 
Thanks for all the advice people. I ended up going just a tiiiny amount over my intended budget, but nothing to worry about. I dropped the 320gb drive down to vanilla 250-ish gb since it'd only be for storage and it was the best price per gb (somewhere in the .46 range). Went with the Samsung internal floppy, but kept the sound card. I just.. can't.. make myself use onboard sound.. :( Kept the cheapo x800xl.. while I coulda dropped the proc to a 3200+ and maybe dropped 1 stick of ram or the second HD even lower and afforded a 7800 or so, I just didn't like the tradeoff. My monitor only goes to 1280x1028(Sony HS94P I was "given" if you will), so a top-of-the-line vidcard would just be overkill. Didn't provide that information earlier, sorry. As for the fans, I ordered a second 120mm for the front (Not a panaflo, though.. blarg. I'll remember the name if I decide to put one on the side of the case port, though).

All that said, it's shipping as I type. Hopefully this build will go better than my first.. So long as I can remember NOT to goop on thermal paste/AS5, NOT to put stuff back in and powerup without double checking to make sure its screwed in tight, and NOT to do anything without double checking around these forums for someone wiser than myself's advice, it should go peachy.
 
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