Does This Work for a New PC

[PaP]

I built my first PC a little over 2 years ago and was very happy with the result. Not to go into details it was a P4 2.8 with 1 gig of ram and a ATI AIW 9700. Now I am almost ready to give it to my children and build another for me. I am not a heavy gamer but I do work with alot of apps at one time and love speed. Any comments on the following build would be apprecited.

Antec Performance Plus Case w/ 430 watt power supply
Intel BOXD925XECV2LK I925 Motherboard for Intel LGA 775 CPU
Intel P4 3.6 LGA 775 *00 Mhz FSB, 1 meg L2 Cache Processor with HT
(2) Crucial 240 pin 1gb ECC registered DDR2-3200
Viewsonic VP201s LCD Monitor
ASUS ATI Radeon X850 XT video card 256 meg PCI-E model
(2) Maxtor Ultra Series 250 gb SATA hard drives
Lite ON 16x DVD-ROM drive
Sony 16x Dual Layer DVD+/-RW Model DRU720A
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Pro sound card
Windows XP Pro OEM
Linksys wireless G PCI ethernet adapter w/ speed boost

All this totals about $3,500 before tax and shipping. Any suggestions and will this give me a great bang for my buck?

 

[Laforge]

I built my first PC a little over 2 years ago and was very happy with the result. Not to go into details it was a P4 2.8 with 1 gig of ram and a ATI AIW 9700. Now I am almost ready to give it to my children and build another for me. I am not a heavy gamer but I do work with alot of apps at one time and love speed. Any comments on the following build would be apprecited.

Antec Performance Plus Case w/ 430 watt power supply
Intel BOXD925XECV2LK I925 Motherboard for Intel LGA 775 CPU
Intel P4 3.6 LGA 775 *00 Mhz FSB, 1 meg L2 Cache Processor with HT
(2) Crucial 240 pin 1gb ECC registered DDR2-3200
Viewsonic VP201s LCD Monitor
ASUS ATI Radeon X850 XT video card 256 meg PCI-E model
(2) Maxtor Ultra Series 250 gb SATA hard drives
Lite ON 16x DVD-ROM drive
Sony 16x Dual Layer DVD+/-RW Model DRU720A
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Pro sound card
Windows XP Pro OEM
Linksys wireless G PCI ethernet adapter w/ speed boost

All this totals about $3,500 before tax and shipping. Any suggestions and will this give me a great bang for my buck?

Yeah

Pioneer 109 and Nec 3520 are better drives than the sony
Wireless Networking = the suck [especially for gaming...]
Unless you need a 500GB raid0 [that's an awful lot of data to be trusting to an increased chance of failure], I'd move more towards
1 x WD Raptor 74GB 10K Rpm
+ 1 x 200+ GB Seagate 7200rpm Sata[5 yr warranty]

If that isn't one, get the EMT64 enabled processor . It will matter in a little while
Ecc+Registered is nice. I'm not sure if you *need* it for your rig, [i'd have to check the motherboard specs] but I don't think it's a requirement. You could save some money by getting "non" ecc+registered if it's compatible with your board [which it is]
According to crucial.com you can use

http://www.crucial.com/store/MParts...3479A5CA7304&WSMD=D925XECV2&WSPN=CT12864AA53E
($225.39 each) [and this is pc2-4200
or
http://www.crucial.com/store/MParts...2C7CA5CA7304&WSMD=D925XECV2&WSPN=CT12864AA40E
235.99 each [pc2-3200]
or
http://www.crucial.com/store/MParts...4473A5CA7304&WSMD=D925XECV2&WSPN=CT12864AA667
$299.99 each [pc2-5300]


Where you are picking [according to crucial] $356.99 each pc2-3200

I dunno, I think i'd rather have pc2-4200 for 225.39 that is listed as compatible with my board, versus PC2-3200 that doesn't even show up on my motherboard compatibility list and costs $130 a stick more


This is what I am referring to :
http://www.crucial.com/store/listpa...ards&mfr=Intel&cat=&model=D925XECV2&submit=Go

Your mentioned ram up top doesn't show on the list of compatible/recommended ram.

Upon further investigation, it looks as if your board doesn't even SUPPORT the ram you were gonna use at all.. You'd need one of the E series chipsets from intel to do that.. Your system might not post at all if you used the ram you were considering.

Information on the
Intel D925XECV2
240-pin DIMM Banking: 4 (2 banks of 2) 
Chipset: Intel 925XE 
DDR2 SDRAM Frequencies: PC2-3200 and PC2-4200 
Error Detection Support: Non-ECC only 
Graphics Support: PCI Express x16 
Max Unbuffered DDR2 SDRAM: 4096MB 
Module Types Supported: Unbuffered only 
Supported DRAM Types: DDR2 SDRAM only 
USB Support: 2.x Compliant 
[/b]

 

[PaP]

I took your adice and moved to

1 WD 10,000 rpm 74 gb SATA drive
1 Maxtor 7,200 rpm 300 gb SATA drive

Now I'm just trying fiqure out the memory. I will I see alot of improvement with 1 gb vs 2 gb.

 

[Laforge]

I took your adive and moved to

1 WD 10,000 rpm 74 gb SATA drive
1 Maxtor 7,200 rpm 300 gb SATA drive

Now I'm just trying fiqure out the memory. I will I see alot of improvement with 1 gb vs 2 gb.

Depends on what you do.
I was suggesting seagate, but that's your call .. 5 year warranty vs 3 year warranty is worth it for me.


VV Points to sig VV

4 GB here.
Real time video editing? near-line database operation? 27 images that are 6 megapixel in photoshop at once? [currently happening at this moment on my rig] Go 2gb.. hell, go 4 like me.

Serious websurfing, frontpage/dreamweaver? 1gb is plenty.
I'd opt for the single stick solution though (screw dual channel, it just doesn't make that much of an impact) and if you decide 1gb isn't enough, buy the second one.

Don't be fooled about "matched pairs" -- just buy the same model [same spec] and you are good to go.

 

[Pkirk618]

would 4 gigs really help him?

 

[Erasmus354]

If you are going to be spending 3,500$ on a computer dont skimp on the power supply. I dont think that power supply has a 24pin cable, which really helps stability of the newer 24pin motherboards.

Get a nice case that doesn't come with a power supply, and then buy a nice fortron or some other reliable PSU that is ATX2.0 compliant.

 

[Laforge]

would 4 gigs really help him?

Depends on what you do.

Quoting myself

If you are going to be spending 3,500$ on a computer dont skimp on the power supply. I dont think that power supply has a 24pin cable, which really helps stability of the newer 24pin motherboards.

Get a nice case that doesn't come with a power supply, and then buy a nice fortron or some other reliable PSU that is ATX2.0 compliant.

QFT

 

[PaP]

Any suggestions on a case and power supply

 

[Laforge]

Any suggestions on a case and power supply

Well, if it doesn't get crushed like in My Other Thread The LiLi V1x and V2x series are nice - I recommend getting one that does E-atx motherboard [12"x13"]


Silverstone and Coolermaster have some nice offerings [specifically TEMJIN and PRAETOREAN]

LiLi are "the best case out there, price no object" 10 out of 10 .
Silverstones and Coolermasters are cheaper, and "almost" as good.. 8 out of 10

I like enermax PSU's.. PCP&C are nice, but a bit too pricy for the return in my opinion.


My opinion of PSU's is this

PCP&C / Zippy / Emacs (not to be confused with emachine, or apple products) = best powersupply on the planet, if "MONEY IS NO OBJECT"

Enermax : Best Dollar per Return, not as good as PCP&C, but nowhere NEAR as expensive... Still *fantastic* none the less.. 10 out of 10 in my book.. where PCP&C is more like 11 out of 10..

Antec .. just a 'smidge' below enermax - 9 out of 10.

CoolerMaster : 7 out of 10. Cheap, Reliable. Decent entry level.
These are what I use in my systems I sell, be it workstations, or web surfers. I use enermax for my "super enthusiast gaming computers"

Everything else is crap IMHO... Good enough to run a computer for your grandma, or secretary, but nothing I'd put in my OWN rig.


However, that PSU in that case (as long as it's got the right pinouts) really *ISN'T* a bad choice.. - I think it *does* have the 20+4 pin option.. if not, then do the seperate case/psu option

 

[PaP]

LaForge

Thanks for your help. Your a wealth of information.

Did you see any system memory on Newegg you would suggest? I'm still playing with everything else but this one has me stumped.

 

[Ballz2TheWallz]

your not a heavy gamer yet your buying a X850XT!? WHY!!?!? get a 6600gt and save money or a 6800gt

 

[Laforge]

LaForge

Thanks for your help. Your a wealth of information.

Did you see any system memory on Newegg you would suggest? I'm still playing with everything else but this one has me stumped.

The memory I gave links to is all good..



CT12864AA53E
the PC2-4200 is 215.99 @ crucial.com
it's $271 at newegg. [wtf?]


CT12864AA40E
The PC2-3200 is 225.99 [PRICEDROP?] @ crucial.com
[$255.00 at newegg]

CT12864AA667
and the PC2-5300 is now 245.99 @ crucial.com

Apparantly, Crucial
just must have had some price drop TODAY
on memory..

 

[Laforge]

your not a heavy gamer yet your buying a X850XT!? WHY!!?!? get a 6600gt and save money or a 6800gt

Future proofing, would be my guess.

The X850XT will last him a lot longer than the 6600gt or 6800gt before he'll have to upgrade again.

 

[ufster8]

i am planning to get a dell with p4 3.4 and x850xt pe w 2gb ram and it costs around 1400€ atm in germany so if ur price doesn't include a hefty LCD display (20" to be axact)... wow that's steep...

 

[PaP]

Many thanks

 

[PaP]

I just configured a Dell XPS Gen 4 as close as I could get it to the same specs and it ran $4,036. I'll keep trying as maybe I can get closer

 

[mikeblas]

Future proofing, would be my guess.

The X850XT will last him a lot longer than the 6600gt or 6800gt before he'll have to upgrade again.

If he's not a gamer, why would he need to upgrade? Did I overlook the intended use for the machine?

.B ekiM

 

[ufster8]

dell dimension 8400 series are much cheaper at same specs most the time, i can't say anything if you don't like the looks though, however since you want an x850xt pe and pentium 4 to go along, a 8400 is cheap and gives what you want. if you build the pc yourself though, i suggest get the 600 series p4 since it is x86-64 (64-bits) compatible and has some other great features over 500 series p4s.

 

[Laforge]

If he's not a gamer, why would he need to upgrade? Did I overlook the intended use for the machine?

.B ekiM

Maybe he does video editing and doesn't have the $ for a fireGL or quadro?

He said he's "not a heavy gamer" -- he didn't say "i'm not a gamer at all"

He also said "I like speed"

So.. even if he's not a gamer, it's still a great card

Hell.

I still play Ultima Online and The Sims 2, and I want one of those cards for myself.

[but my 9800np serves me well]

 

[PaP]

You guys pretty much hit. I do some video editing. I'm a light to medium gamer and I like speed.

Two more questions. What does everyone think of Corsair memory? Since I'm looking at non retail HD's, will I need cables? If so, please point me in the right direction.

Also since I'm not planning on upgrading my speakers, Logitech Z-680's, I may drop down to the Audigy 2 platnium sound card.

 

[Stellar]

You guys pretty much hit. I do some video editing. I'm a light to medium gamer and I like speed.

Two more questions. What does everyone think of Corsair memory? Since I'm looking at non retail HD's, will I need cables? If so, please point me in the right direction.

Also since I'm not planning on upgrading my speakers, Logitech Z-680's, I may drop down to the Audigy 2 platnium sound card.

Corsair memory is outstanding, lifetime warranty. Also one of the best deals you'll find on a 1Gb kit is with Corsair -

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80098-21&ps=ho1

As far as buying OEM hard drives, your motherboard will always come with at least 1 IDE and 2 SATA cables, so depending on which hard drives you end up buying you may be covered. I would check the packaging with the motherboard to be sure, however.

Audigy 2 Platinum will be more than sufficient for your needs. In fact your money would generally be more well spent on upgrading your speakers as opposed to your sound card. You may want to check out sound options from M-Audio and Chaintech as well as many people do have issues with Creative's products (from a software standpoint).