My first build, looking for criticizm

V

Vtecaddict

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 25, 2005
Messages
139
Earlier this week I decided I was just going to go ahead and try to build my own setup after no one I knew could or would help me. I was looking to spend $1200 or less, but with everything I ran over. If anyone has any suggestions or criticizm then let me know, the more comments the better. I'll be using this computer for schoolwork/listening to music and gaming on it alot. TFT/WOW/HL2 etc. . I do not plan to OC. Could you guys also check to make sure everything is compatible and I have EVERYTHING needed to run this setup

Case - Will the power supply and fans that come with it be enough?
https://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=140025

Ram- Which one would you go for? Will both work w/my setup?
https://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80098-21
or
https://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80098-34

HD-
https://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=100576-1

CPU- This is where it gets iffy... i was going to go with a 939 be it hammer3500+ or venice 3500+ with an ASUS deluxe($170). Then I found this 754 and I figured what the heck it seems like it'd be better deal.
https://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80719-R

mobo-
https://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=240411

keyboard/mouse- Might just get a nice 30$ microsoft mouse and get a 5$ liteon keyboard
https://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=211112

Monitor - at least 17" LCD with DVI
Option #1:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824163129

Option #2:https://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=231635

Speakers
https://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=365000

DVD+CD drive
https://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=172622

Video Card - Is this overkill?
https://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=322688

Thats it and thankyou in advance! :cool:
 
The PSU that comes with the Sonata will be fine without overclocking. If you need 2GB of RAM or may want to upgrade to 2GB soon I would just get the 1GB stick, but you would not be able to run dual channel w/o two sticks. So it really depends.

I would also go with socket 939 as you really limit upgradability going s754. Then get a Chaintech VNF4 Ultra.

Then get a X800XL.
 
KoolDrew said:
The PSU that comes with the Sonata will be fine without overclocking. If you need 2GB of RAM or may want to upgrade to 2GB soon I would just get the 1GB stick, but you would not be able to run dual channel w/o two sticks. So it really depends.

I would also go with socket 939 as you really limit upgradability going s754. Then get a Chaintech VNF4 Ultra.

Then get a X800XL.
Click to expand...

Well which would be better venice or hammer. I dont even understand the difference between the two. I'm not argueing because i know nothing but wont both the 939 and the 754 be obsolete in like 2-3 years anyways?

This mobo does seem nice and it's cheap!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813152049

Why the x800xl over the 6800gt? Because of PCI-E?
 
At stock speeds there is really no difference between the Hammer and Venice, Venice has SSE3 so it might be a bit better for you. Hammer's are broken highend chips, like the FX-55, the FX-55 has 1mb of cache, if somehow some of the cache was bad, they'd disable half of it to 512kb and sell it as a Hammer 3500+. Basicly Venice is built to be a 3500+, hammers were built to be more but the cache didnt work, the performance is virtually identical. The plus of the hammer core is it overclocks well since it typically was intended to be a higher end piece.

Socket 939 is definetly the better socket right now, dual channel, dual core, there is an upgrade path on 939, notta on 754. Plus if you went PCI-E you'd have a path thier as well.
 
Definitely go the 939 way, since it has a longer lifespan as far as I can see. Also, I do suggest the PCI-E mobo with an ATI 800XL. About the same price as the AGP 6800GT, but it allows you to upgrade to future cards, since AGP is slowly dying.

Do you really need speakers?
Since you are only going with a 2.1 system, it might be better to get a nice pair of headphones, maybe with an attached mic. That way, if you get into gaming online hardcore, you would be able to use chat, which is becoming more common.


I definetly suggest the NEC 3520a DVD RW drive. Runs about $50, and I have had a great experience with it. The samsung you listed I have not dealt with. Best to go with something that others have experience with, unless someone else chimes in that has used that drive.

Just my two cents....


Zero

EDIT: Forgot about memory. From what I have read on the boards here, I would say the dual sticks would be a little bit better. Although there is no major benefit to dual channel on AMD systems (from what I have read, although I may be wrong), it still is a benefit.
 
i would go with a SATA HDD with ur mobo, it offers an increase in performance at about the same price :)
 
jhzero1984 said:
Definitely go the 939 way, since it has a longer lifespan as far as I can see. Also, I do suggest the PCI-E mobo with an ATI 800XL. About the same price as the AGP 6800GT, but it allows you to upgrade to future cards, since AGP is slowly dying.

Do you really need speakers?
Since you are only going with a 2.1 system, it might be better to get a nice pair of headphones, maybe with an attached mic. That way, if you get into gaming online hardcore, you would be able to use chat, which is becoming more common.


I definetly suggest the NEC 3520a DVD RW drive. Runs about $50, and I have had a great experience with it. The samsung you listed I have not dealt with. Best to go with something that others have experience with, unless someone else chimes in that has used that drive.

Just my two cents....


Zero

EDIT: Forgot about memory. From what I have read on the boards here, I would say the dual sticks would be a little bit better. Although there is no major benefit to dual channel on AMD systems (from what I have read, although I may be wrong), it still is a benefit.
Click to expand...

Yeah i need speakers this should be my only form of a stereo in the fall at college. I need good speakers. I am also going to buy some nice heaphones with the mic. for gaming but we'll keep that separate. Thanks for all the help guys i guess i'll go with the venice and that VC and mobo. So other than that shit i'm looking good? Thats nearly the setup i had in the first place. :eek: Live and learn.
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150091
That would'nt be a bad card eaither.

Speakers, monitor, headphones, mice, and keyboard ill leave up to you.
Oh, and while im on the subject of speakers.... You said you need "Good speakers". I'm not sure what you call good.... whether it be a pair of cretive labs 2.1.... or some 350$ monitor speakers. I would just like to say though, that before I would spend any money on speakers, get a good sound card. A Creative labs Audigy or Audigy 2 ZS are great!

You said you won't be over clocking, so does that mean you will be using the supplied Heat Sink with the Retail version of the AMD64? If not, a nice Thermalright XP-90, Artic Silver 5, and a Vantec Stealth 92mm fan would work wonders.

Other then that, it looks good.

On a side note, that NEC 3520 is OEM (i'll assume you know what that means). So that means you need to get burning software if you already don't have one. It also means that you will need to have a program that plays DVD's.
You might want to look for Retail versions of DVD drives, which come packaged with software (if you don't already have it). It will most likely come out cheaper, and you get all the documentation and cables ^_^. The Nero suite is great IMO.

As for the CHAINTECH motherboard, it looks good, but I have no personal experience with it.

~Good Luck, and keep us posted
 
Yeah I allready have Nero on a CD so i can use that. I will have to find some type of player but that shouldnt be too hard right. I've been working so i havent been able to get on and look at that NEC drive yet. You think upgrading the soundcard is really worth it? I'll have to look into that a little too. Thanks for the comments/suggestions.
 
Vtecaddict said:
Yeah I allready have Nero on a CD so i can use that. I will have to find some type of player but that shouldnt be too hard right. I've been working so i havent been able to get on and look at that NEC drive yet. You think upgrading the soundcard is really worth it? I'll have to look into that a little too. Thanks for the comments/suggestions.
Click to expand...

If you got that copy of Nero with another burner, then you won't be able to use it, since it's locked the original drive. If it's retail, just make sure the version is OK for your OS. If you do need one w/software, try this:

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=172427-7

 
Oldie said:
If you got that copy of Nero with another burner, then you won't be able to use it, since it's locked the original drive. If it's retail, just make sure the version is OK for your OS. If you do need one w/software, try this:

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=172427-7

Click to expand...

I've used this copy on more than 1 drive & its been working fine. I think i might go with that Sony drive though, i like the NEC but it doesnt have any software. How hard would it be to find some good software for free online?

Is it worth me getting a new soundcard? What do you guys think and do you have any suggestions for SC?
 
In my opinion soundcards are unnecesary I've heard the difference (or lack of) between onboard sound and an audigy 2 and was unimpresed, especially considering the audigy was like $150.

as for burners get the NEC 3520 or the Pioneer 109 both excellent burners with very little difference between the two.

Peace

PS: good luck on your first build :)
 
Ever consider a 19" or 17" 8ms display?
19" http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824009044 300$
17" http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824009039 240$

For the price those things look amazing.

I did have a very bad experience with a Samsung 710T, and I would be very hesitant to go with a samsung again. Mine was all messed up, screwed up text, horrible colors, several dead pixles, horrible viewing angle...... etc... The only thing it was... was faster then my current monitor.

Edit: The samsung 710N-Bk says 16.2mill colors on both newegg and samsungs website. I forgot what exactly this means, but I belive it denotes that it is not a true 24 bit color display. The true 24bit color displays usually go by eaither 16.7mil or 16.77mill colors. The acer 17" also says 16.2mil colors... looks like its hard to find a fast response time with 16.7 million colors.

As always, If you have the option of viewing them at your local computer store, I highly recommend it. Sometimes you just have to see them in person to really tell how good they are.
 
If there is one thing in this world i hate that is a decision. Thanks for making it worse. :p

Seriously though that 17" looks very nice. Thankyou for the suggestion.
 
I just went ahead and ordered the AG. If i have to resell it afterwards or cancel the order and get that 17" acer then i will. Otherwise i'll let ya know how I like the AG. If anyone else has any suggests on the ag vs acer post it up please.
 
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