my First PC Build

P

PC N3WB

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 20, 2008
Messages
196
Hey guys i want to start building my first proper pc. So can you see any problems with the
hardware i want to get
SPEC:
Asus MN2N32-SLI socket AM2 nforce590
AMD Athlon 5600 2.8Ghz
2GB Cosair XMS2 DHX with C4 timings
OCZ Stealth xtreme 600w PSU
Western digital 500GB HDD 16MB Cache
Any dual layer 20x DVD +/- RWs
BFG 8800GT 512MB (PCI-E 2.0)
And probablly a cooler master TX2 CPU Cooler
 
Looks pretty good to me although im an intelfan boy but if u answer these questions i can help u out further.

* Which monitor do you have? What is the resolution you're using on that monitor?
* What/Which HTPC-related tasks are you planning on using this computer for?
* Are you planning on overclocking anything? Are you planning on using a water-cooling setup?
* Do you live in Canada or Europe? (Where you live may limit the number of places we can find parts at.)
* How soon do you need this computer?
* How long do you want this setup to last? Are you going to make any periodic upgrades during that time frame?
 
If you don't have objections to Intel, you'll get a lot more speed out of an E8400. Also, you may want to look at a different PSU. Some vid cards are coming out with 8 pin PCI-e, and the big ones even will have a 6 & 8 pin requirement for the power.
 
I have a nineteen inch tft panel screen, beacuse im a newb i only have a basic idea about overclocking, i went with AMD because i could get more for my money hardware wise and i live in europe more precisely the uk, also my case aint big enough for a water cooling system and i lack the nohow to fit one (Im only 15)
 
I did have another setup in mind, an intel based i did want to get the new wolfdale cpus but i didnt think the P35 chipset on the asus P5KC board could handle the new architecture
SPEC:
Intel core 2 duo E6750
Asus P5KC 1333mhz FSB
OCZ PC6400 SLi Edition 800mhz
Corsair 520w PSU
Western digital 500GB 16MB Cache
and im kinda stuck with my graphics card choice

If this board supports the wolfdale then should i get an E8400
 
I need to finish getting the money togethor so i am not in needing of the pc straight away and Im not really trying to build a HTPC rig I just want an OK gaming rig
 
I have a few more questions to ask:
  • What is your total budget? Is it flexible, or does it also have to include shipping/VAT?
  • Where are you planning on buying everything at?
  • Which specific models of the case and monitor do you have? Which resolution do you use on your monitor?
  • Do you do a lot of gaming? If so -- in addition to the monitor/resolution -- which games do you play (or are planning to play)? What other things are you planning on using your computer for?
  • Which features do you need on your motherboard? Do you really need wireless or SLI/CrossFire for you rig?
For as much money as you're paying for the Corsair XM2 2GB kit, you could pick up a 4GB kit from several brands. Some other brands to look at are A-DATA, Crucial/Micron, G.Skill, Kingston, Mushking, PQI, Buffalo, and OCZ. (There are other "good" brands, but I forgot them off the top of my head.)

The P35 chipset supports all of the Core 2 Duo/Quad processors. As to whether you should get the E6750 over the E8400, that really depends on how much money have have to spend. Barring that, the E8400 is the better processor.

There are better CPU coolers in the market, but if you're not planning on overclocking, then you're better off by just using the stock HSF. Also, make sure that you buy the retail version of the processor -- whichever one you choose -- because they have better warranties than the OEM models (three years vs. 90 days, in most cases).

If you can afford to, take a look at the Corsair HX/VX series. (The HX models are modular, while the VX models aren't.) They are made by Seasonic, and are considered better quality than the OCZ line. (However, the OCZ PSUs are cheaper than the Corsairs.)
 
My total budget is £550 pounds sterling plus £50 or £60 for Vat and shipping, I might stick with AMD though but i would probably get the E8400, Ive heard rumors that 4GBs certain brands of Ram cause black screens, the make of the case is unkown but it is an X-galaxy bubble lighted ATX case which I bought from xcase.co.uk, as from the retailer i wish to purchase the hardware from the URL is www.advancetech.co.uk
 
I am hoping that this Rig can played Crysis at a deccent resolution, the make of the tft is a rubbish acer brand over games i want to be able to play are COD4, DOOM3, Airbourne, world in conflict and maybe WoW
 
Are you going to run windows xp or vista? If you are running vista get atleast 4gigs if xp then just get 2gb or 4gb if you want overkill. Why not get:

A gigabyte P35- DS3L mobo or the DS3R if you can afford it

The intel E2160's and 2180's overclock really good by just simply raising the fsb...there is tutorials too.

That will save you tons of money and you will still be able to upgrade your cpu to any core 2 duo in the future such as the e8400 or something better...even quad core.
 
The advancetech.co.uk link didn't connect me to any storefront... :confused:

You may want to consider one, or all, of these other retailers:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/
http://www.dabs.com/
http://www.scan.co.uk/
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/home/

If you have any other websites that you're considering purchasing from, I'd like to know about them.

As for RAM, look for a 2x1GB or (if you can afford it) a 2x2GB set. (I forgot that while in the US, the Corsair XMS/XMS2 series is overpriced compared to other brands, the UK/Europe doesn't have same issue.) Most motherboards will have no problem handling 4GB of RAM -- many of them support up to 8-16GB -- but having four sticks of RAM instead of two could cause stability issues (especially while overclocking) with some motherboards.

An P35-based Intel motherboard paired with an overclocked E2xxx/E4xxx processor would perform better than most non-Black Edition AMD dual-cores, but AMD motherboards tend to have more features at a lower price than the Intel equivalents. If you can afford it, go ahead and get an Intel setup... but I can't say whether or not you could fit an E8400 into your budget.

Crysis is designed to tax even the high-end video cards with its high graphical settings. The 8800GT can play Crysis on your 19 inch monitor, but it may not play it as well as you'd like it to. If that's the case, you may want to consider getting either the 512MB 8800GTS or the HD3870x2. Otherwise, you would have to lower some of the game's graphical settings.
 
Would an overclocked intel E2xxx and E4xxx series chips equal a higher spec core 2 preformance in gamining wise despite lower cache and fsb?? because its what 800mhz-1066mhz fsb on those chips??
 
Did you know some retailers in the uk sell the older DRR XMS memory for more than 1066mhz 2x1GB kits of the DDR2
 
So which of the proposed systems on this thread do you think i should go for Intel or AMD??
Which would be better at gaming??
 
So which of the proposed systems or combinations of hardware posted on this thread do you think i should go for Intel or AMD??
Which would be better at gaming??
 
intel. oc'ing is easy with these intel core2 chips, so take the hour or two to learn how and you'd have saved yourself a lot of money.
 
Yeah but i am a bit afraid of blowing my system after a few months or so of overclocking and i plan on keeping the system for at least 2 years.
 
PC N3WB said:
YEAH BUT I AM A BIT AFRAID OF BLOWING MY SYSTEM AFTER A FEW MONTHS OR SO OF OVERCLOCKING AND I PLAN TO KEEP THE RIG FOR AT LEAST 2 YEARS.
Click to expand...

And if you take the hour or two to learn how to do it right, there's nothing to be afraid of. I've been running an E6400 system at 3.6Ghz for well over a year now, and it doesnt even reach 60°C during full load. Since its your first OC, I'd suggest a modest one. For my E6400, I literally changed 5 settings in the BIOS, which took 30 seconds, and on its second ever reboot, it was already running at 3.2Ghz (up from 2.1Ghz). With my Opteron system, it took days of tweaking just to get things right. With that Core2, it took minutes. So, if you invest the hour it takes, aside from stress testing, to learn how to OC these chips correctly, it will be well worth it.
 
PC N3WB said:
YEAH BUT I AM A BIT AFRAID OF BLOWING MY SYSTEM AFTER A FEW MONTHS OR SO OF OVERCLOCKING AND I PLAN TO KEEP THE RIG FOR AT LEAST 2 YEARS.
Click to expand...

There's no need to yell... enginurd's right, as he always is. ;)

Take the time between now and when all of your parts finally arrive to learn all you can about overclocking. Even at stock, the Intel build will last a while, but overclocking the processor will only help extend its lifespan... even if you don't do it right away.
 
so do you think i should go for the intel rig?? and please if anyone has got a PCI-E 2.0 card running on a board that only has 1.0 or 1.1 please tell me to stop me worring about wether it will work or not.
 
New system spec influenced by this thread:
Intel core 2 duo E8400 OC to 3.5Ghz target
Gigabyte GA P35C-DSR iP35
Corsair TX 750W PSU or Seasonic M12??
Tunia tower 120 LED CPU cooler or a mars ultracooler
Corsair 2GB 2x1GB XMS2 PC2 6400 CAS4 timings
Seagate barracuda 320GB 16mb cache
BFG geforce 512MB 8800GT (PCI-E 2.0)

Any problems with this set??
 
Other than overkill on the PSU front, it's fine. But as long as you can afford it all, it's a good setup.
 
PC N3WB said:
so do you think i should go for the intel rig?? and please if anyone has got a PCI-E 2.0 card running on a board that only has 1.0 or 1.1 please tell me to stop me worring about wether it will work or not.
Click to expand...

It'll work. PCI-E 2.0 is backwards compatible the older PCI-E revisions.

And I concur with tiraides, looks good to me but the PSU is total overkill.
 
I know the PSU is overkil but i prefer the colour on it to the limegreen/yellow 520w corsair
 
Then how about the orange VX550W or the red HX620W? Either one of those two would sufficiently power your rig, and the price difference between them and the TX750W can't be that small....
 
How much does the orange VX550W cost?? the TX750W costs about 80 pounds over here
 
Here are Micro Direct's prices on the VX550W and the HX620W. I believe that it's safe to assume that the prices would be similar elsewhere.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top