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My first PC build

X

xunknown87x

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 4, 2005
Messages
151
Hello all, I have decided to go through and buy the parts to build a computer. What do you guys think on my build. I wanted to stay at 1000 for aiming for a budget build that would last me a good 2 years, then overclcock it or upgrade. Also, I will be running duel monitor with my 20 inch ultrasharp dell as primary, then my samsung 4071 as a secondary. Do you think this computer could handing playing a high def/blue ray movie on my TV while running a game on decent settings in a window and being able to browse the web without much lag? Any suggestions would be welcomed too, thanks.

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail 120.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

CORSAIR CMPSU-520HX ATX12V v2.2 and EPS12V 2.91 520W Power Supply 100 - 240 V UL, CUL, CE, CB, FCC Class B, TUV, CCC, C-tick - Retail 110
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139001

GIGABYTE GA-EP35C-DS3R LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Dynamic Energy Saver Ultra Durable II Intel Motherboard - Retail 140
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128082

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail 190
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115029

EVGA 512-P3-N802-AR GeForce 8800GT Superclocked 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail 180
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130319

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKB 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache IDE Ultra ATA100 Hard Drive - OEM 105
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136111

Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail 36 X 2 = 70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146565

LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner with LightScribe - Retail 33.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106072

= 950

Then I haven't really decided on an operating system. I hoping I could maybe get one from my dads work for free, but who knows.
 
Drop the P35C-DS3R. DDR3 RAM offer no performance increase over current DDR2 RAM with current Intel CPUs. So go for the non-C version of that mobo:
Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3R Intel P35 Motherboard - $125

Also go with this RAM instead since you don't have to deal with rebates:
G.SKILL F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ 2 x 2GB DDR2 800 RAM - $75

Also, ditch the IDE hard drive. SATA is the better option since it's faster and allows for a cleaner cas:
Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $95

Also you can get that PSU for cheaper:
Corsair 520HX 520W Modular PSU - $106

Or if you don't care for modular cables:
Corsair 550VX 550W PSU - $89

Also go for the E8400 since it's faster and more energy efficient:
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 CPU - $210
 
Agreed with above poster, you don't need ultra fast ram with great timings it's more expensive, drop that back a bit and spend the saved cash on getting 4Gb instead of 2Gb, make sure you get a 64bit OS as well so you can use it all. Also drop the IDE drives, go for SATA, should be roughly equal in price.
 
Frosteh said:
Agreed with above poster, you don't need ultra fast ram with great timings it's more expensive, drop that back a bit and spend the saved cash on getting 4Gb instead of 2Gb, make sure you get a 64bit OS as well so you can use it all. Also drop the IDE drives, go for SATA, should be roughly equal in price.
Click to expand...

I also agree that you don't need ultra fast RAM, the money can be spent on more important things. The real world difference between 667Mhz, 800Mhz and 1066MHz RAM is small as are differences in latencies.

OP, I would also recommend a quad core if your budget is up to it. That should give you 2 years use out of it.

@ Frosteh - shouldn't you be working?! I see you're a DBA like me. Are you having a slow morning too and all the databases are working perfectly!?... ;)
 
I would not even worry about quad core. If this is a gaming machine I doubt there will be any serious performance gain with a quad core for a while. Someone correct me if I am wrong though.
 
Ok i did some revisions

CASE
Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail 120.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021
or
COOLER MASTER Centurion 590 RC-590-KKN1-GP Black SECC / ABS ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail 70
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119152

POWER SUPPLY
Corsair 520W SLI Certified Modular ATX Power Supply - CMPSU-520HX 100. 90 AMIR
http://www.buy.com/prod/corsair-520w-sli-certified-modular-atx-power-supply/q/loc/101/203270716.html

MOTHERBOARD
GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3R Intel P35 Core 2 Quad Socket 775 1600 MHz ATX Motherboard Retail 125
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10007760&prodlist=froogle

PROCESSOR + COOLER
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail 210
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037

ZALMAN 9500A 92mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler - Retail 45
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118223

GRAPHICS CARD
MSI NX8800GTS 512M OC GeForce 8800GTS (G92) 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Free Witcher PC game w/ purchase, while supplies last 230. 200 after mail in rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127325
or
MSI NX8800GT 512M OC GeForce 8800GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
Free Witcher PC game w/ purchase 210. 180 after mail in rebate

HARD DRIVE
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM 90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073

MEMORY
G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail 80
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122
or
G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail 100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231145

DVD DRIVE
LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 24X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache E-IDE/ATAPI 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe - OEM 30
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106229

=
910 or 1000
 
Advice on the 900 case - its a small case and you'll only start finding out after you try to wire it. I took a dremel tool to mine for cable management but back on track - I ditched the internal dvd drive and opted for an external USB drive to cut down on the inside clutter. It is also faster and draws power from an external AC socket. I was then able to order another drive bay to mount another 120mm fan on the top front to blow air over the RAM.
 
Woah woah woah. Forget the dual core. You can get a Q6600 for what you're paying for that chip which is old and EOL (End of Life) anyway, hence the price hike. Frys is selling the Q6600 for $190 right now. Quad all the way with all that multitasking you intend. EDIT: Just saw you went to the E8400. Still, drop that thing for the Quad.

I'd strongly recommend you replace the Antec 900 with either the P180/P182 or Coolermaster RC-590/690. The 900 is loud, has poor cable management, and... I don't like it. Granted, cases are 9/10ths personal preference.

No build is likely to last you 4 years right now --- we're looking at too many big new things in the next 12 months or so.
 
Case-wise I would go with the Centurion 590; build quality should be at least as good as the 900, tool-less features are better, it has more cooling options, it's cheaper, and it looks better (IMO).

Ditch the Zalman 9500 heatsink. It's overpriced and underperforming. I recommend the Xigmatek HDT-S1283 instead, it performs nearly as good as the Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme(best CPU heatsink on the market), and can be found for below $40. Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233003

For your video card, you may want to go with a brand like eVGA, BFG, or XFX, for warranty purposes. I've heard MSI's warranty service isn't that great, and I've heard good things about the brands I've listed as well as having had a great experience with BFG tech support myself. You might end up paying a bit more if there aren't any deals going on, but you're paying for peace of mind and the guarantee that if something goes wrong, you'll be taken care of.

For the RAM, go with the slower set. RAM speed makes no effective difference to the performance of a Core 2 system, and a good set of DDR2-800 like that G-Skill kit you picked out should be able to handle any overclock you try. You may as well save the $20 and put it towards something more useful (like the graphics card thing I discussed in the last paragraph).

silent-circuit said:
Woah woah woah. Forget the dual core. You can get a Q6600 for what you're paying for that chip which is old and EOL (End of Life) anyway, hence the price hike.
Click to expand...

Take a look at his updated build, he's going with an E8400 instead of the E6750.
 
Zero82z, thnx for linking the Xigmatek, I might snag that. As for the OP, +1 to the E8400, 2GB of Gskill ram for under $50(somewhere), and a MSI OC'd 88GT/S for $210/230 before $20-30 MIR.
 
Zero82z said:
Take a look at his updated build, he's going with an E8400 instead of the E6750.
Click to expand...

...which I addressed with a quick edit right after what you quoted. I still think the Q6600 is a better fit if he wants to game and watch movies and surf the web all at the same time kind of thing.
 
silent-circuit said:
...which I addressed with a quick edit right after what you quoted. I still think the Q6600 is a better fit if he wants to game and watch movies and surf the web all at the same time kind of thing.
Click to expand...

Sorry about that, it took me a while to write the post so I wasn't aware of the edit. I have to disagree with you about the quad though. The E8400 will be able to easily reach 4GHz, and at that speed it will be significantly faster than a Q6600 at 3.6GHz(which is the highest he could take it, best case scenario). For multitasking it will probably still be faster than a Q6600 for most things, since multithreading is still mostly limited to taking advantage of two cores and the speed benefits of the E8400 will probably outweigh the gain from having another two cores. To be honest though, it could go either way.
 
Zero82z said:
Sorry about that, it took me a while to write the post so I wasn't aware of the edit. I have to disagree with you about the quad though. The E8400 will be able to easily reach 4GHz, and at that speed it will be significantly faster than a Q6600 at 3.6GHz(which is the highest he could take it, best case scenario). For multitasking it will probably still be faster than a Q6600 for most things, since multithreading is still mostly limited to taking advantage of two cores and the speed benefits of the E8400 will probably outweigh the gain from having another two cores. To be honest though, it could go either way.
Click to expand...

I'd normally agree, except that in a true multitasking situation, not a multi threading situation (where your argument is often applied to great effect, as few apps are more than dual-core aware) it doesn't matter if all the apps in question are only single core aware. the load will still be balanced between all four cores.

So say the OP is playing Oblivion or something, and it's dual core aware, but someone is watching a movie on the TV that's running off the computer and maybe surfing the net on his spare monitor (though I confess this last one would be troublesome to say the least, as it's hard to control the same machine with more than one keyboard/mouse and have them not all do the same thing). Oblivion "wins" as the most challenging task. It gets cores 1 and 2. Firefox is most active on core 3 as cores 1 and 2 are almost fully used (unlikely but simplifies the analogy), and the parts of the HD decoding routine not handled by the GPU are dealt with mostly on Core 3. Everything works more or less happily, assuming he has enough RAM and such, and there aren't too many overlapping requests for reads/writes on the same disk.

With a dual core Oblivion might take 50% of both cores. Then Firefox might take some of one core, the HD decoding app some of the other, and of course background processes and the like. If something suddenly gets hungry for cycles there are a lot fewer to go around on 2 4GHz cores than there are even on on 4 3Ghz cores... and 600Mhz is a pretty tame OC for a Q6600 on a decent board.

Of course, this all assumes the OP will in fact multitask as much as he claims and in more or less the same way as he claims. If his claims aren't representative the E8400 may in fact be the better choice.
 
silent-circuit, nice explanation/analogy there. Personally I think I could run out of RAM before taxing a CPU enough to slow it down, still using just 1 GB of Kingston HyperX DDR400 for another month.
 
silent-circuit said:
Woah woah woah. Forget the dual core. You can get a Q6600 for what you're paying for that chip which is old and EOL (End of Life) anyway, hence the price hike. Frys is selling the Q6600 for $190 right now. Quad all the way with all that multitasking you intend. EDIT: Just saw you went to the E8400. Still, drop that thing for the Quad.

I'd strongly recommend you replace the Antec 900 with either the P180/P182 or Coolermaster RC-590/690. The 900 is loud, has poor cable management, and... I don't like it. Granted, cases are 9/10ths personal preference.

No build is likely to last you 4 years right now --- we're looking at too many big new things in the next 12 months or so.
Click to expand...

Yeah quad, quad, quad, quad!

I agree, replace the Antec 900 with a P180/P182. I have the former an it's a fantastic case to work in and cools brilliantly
 
If you're in college you can usually get a nice discount on the operating system, just a thought.
 
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