First built PC

T

taa

n00b
Joined
Oct 10, 2008
Messages
4
Hello all,

I am building a PC for the first time, and have come up with the following components:

ASUS 20X CD/DVD Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135156

LIAN LI PC-7A Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112068

Western Digital VelociRaptor 150GB Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136296

ASUS ENGTX280 OC/HTDI/1G Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121282

CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139004

CORSAIR XMS2 DHX 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 RAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145194

ASUS Maximus II Formula LGA 775 Intel P45 Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131319

Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037

Subtotal: $1,399.92

Other info:

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing?

The PC will be used for gaming. I play some FPS ranging from Black Hawk Down to Doom 3. I also play World of Warcraft.

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?

Total budged including tax and shipping is $1700.

3) Where do you live?

Seattle, WA.

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. Please be very specific.

I need everything listed above.

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.

Not going to reuse any old parts.

6) Will you be overclocking?

If possible with what I have selected, sure. This isn't a requirement though.

7) What size monitor do you have or plan to have?

23 inch Apple LCD 1920X1200 resolution.

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?

I would like to purchase the components next week.

9) Operating System?

Windows Vista 32 bit.


I have two questions right off the bat. First, is the memory the correct speed for the CPU? Also, it looks like the motherboard has some integrated sound. Is the sound quality very good or should I spend money on another sound card? It looks like the sound card that comes with the motherboard is made by Creative Labs. If anybody has feedback/suggestions, please post! :)
 
Could you please list the product names along with those 9 links? While we do browse newegg daily, we don't memorize newegg part numbers; and I'd hate to have to open 9 tabs just to see what parts you want. Thanks.

Also, there's some questions you should answer...

Danny Bui said:
If you're gonna ask us to build/list a PC for you or seek advice about a build, please answer all of the following questions:

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
3) Where do you live?
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. Please be very specific.
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
6) Will you be overclocking?
7) What size monitor do you have or plan to have?
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?

By answering these questions you help us help you build a better quality/preforming/cheaper PC.
Click to expand...
 
Also, are you sure you need a floppy drive or do you think computers should come with them by default? I haven't used a floppy since CD's were burnable... nowadays it's all flash drives.
 
I don't need the floopy drive to do BIOS updates and install SATA drivers?
 
taa said:
I don't need the floopy drive to do BIOS updates and install SATA drivers?
Click to expand...

No.

1. I don't see an operating system in there? Are you using Vista?

2. What's the resolution of the monitor? That's what we really wanted to know.

3. That power supply is total overkill, get a corsair HX520 or HX620, something quality in the 5-600W range.
 
OK, I got rid of the floppy drive and updated the power supply.
 
Nice, only thing I'd change would be the video card, I'd go with two 4850's in CF. Two 4850's in CF will be cheaper than the video card you listed and are slightly faster.

The only other thing is instead of an e8400 I'd go with a q6600, I could lock up my e8400 but my q6600 just chews thru anything I throw at it. I'm priming right now at 3.6 and can still browse/photshop no problem. I was playing CS:S earlier and priming at the same time and still getting a constant 100 FPS, so my vote goes for the q6600 but the e8400 is also a good choice.
 
-I would switch the RAM to some G.skill 2x2 ddr2 800, I think its still liek 60 bucks. You dont have to wait for a rebate....
-The Raptor is nice, but not needed. Get a WD6400aaks or get a couple. They were 75 yesterday. They are just slightly slower than the raptor and price v preformance = win
- Personally i would go with a ATI4870. You dont play or seem to play an high demanding games so a 4870 would work fine. I use 4870 on my 24' and play some demanding games and it rocks them all
- Drop that motherboard, its nothing you need and is way too pricey to condsider for the things you are doing. Get a Asus P5Q Pro, Gigabyte EP45-DS3R for better price v preformance. Can bundle E8400 with P5Q pro for 275 and save soem cash,
- On board sound has come a long way, try it out and if you dont like it, buy a card. But dont spend money till you need to.

Dont even think about Crossfire, worst decision ever for the things you want to do. Otherwise, Good build,
 
Onboard audio (aka mobo integrated sound) is ok as long as you're not an audiophile and you don't have high quality speakers (which will be limited by the onboard audio).

Also, I second literally everything that Rydawg advises.
 
the one thing to remember about sli/crossfire is this, the success or performance improvement of this setup vs. a single gpu will be based mainly on the game, and whether or not it is [programmed to take adavantage of the technology. Now I am not saying that a 3870 cf setup would be faster than a gtx 260 im saying this about similar performing cards like the affor mentioned 2 x 4850cf vs. gtx 260.
 
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