Need Help Building my first comp

S

shelshock

Gawd
Joined
Oct 2, 2005
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So with only $600 I want to build a new computer with decent parts. I want it to be able to play games like CS and BF2 unlike my crappy dell. So any suggestions on prices and parts on ram, video cards, motherboards, processors, power supply...etc. would be greatly appreciated.
 
mobo: Chaintech VNF4
CPU: Venice 3000+/3200+
video: Leadtek GF6600GT
PSU: Fortron 350/400W or XClio 450 (don't get an Aspire, Thermaltake, or crap like that)
RAM: Corsair XMS, Mushkin, Crucial Value, Buffalo, Patriot... 2x512MB PC3200 DDR (not DDR2)
HD: I like Samsung, personally... I will just say avoid Caviar SE's.
DVD-RW: BenQ DW-1640, or NEC ND3540a

case is really up to you, and I'd pick up some Yate Loon fans for it
 
dandragonrage said:
mobo: Chaintech VNF4
CPU: Venice 3000+/3200+
video: Leadtek GF6600GT
PSU: Fortron 350/400W or XClio 450 (don't get an Aspire, Thermaltake, or crap like that)
RAM: Corsair XMS, Mushkin, Crucial Value, Buffalo, Patriot... 2x512MB PC3200 DDR (not DDR2)
HD: I like Samsung, personally... I will just say avoid Caviar SE's.
DVD-RW: BenQ DW-1640, or NEC ND3540a

case is really up to you, and I'd pick up some Yate Loon fans for it
Click to expand...

I would stay away from leadteks... Their cooling solutions arent always the best according to reviews. Unless they are using stock cooling, then by all means go for it.
 
CPU: 3200+ Venice OEM ~$130 @ Ewiz
HSF: Thermaltake Volcano 12 $23 @Ewiz....not that im a huge fan of this model but it gets the job done for reasonable $$$ and you can pick it up with the cpu saving a bit on shipping.
Motherboard: Chaintech VNF4/Ultra $82@Newegg
Video: x800GTO2 ~$230
RAM: 512x2 kit PC3200 of value ram. Honestly, as long as you stick to names you know you will be ok here. Kingston, OCZ, Buffalo, Crucial, Geil, Corsair, Mushkin, Patriot, PQI...its all basically the same when it comes to the value lines. Should run you around $80, less with a good sale.
Thats $~550 and you still need a Case/PSU/HD/DVD. If you have an older dell machine you could use the HD and optical drive from there. You could pick up the 500w Ultra PSU currently available at outpost.com for $20 shipped AR + SkyHawk MSR-4610 for ~$35 shipped from dealsonic.

If I were building a budget gaming rig thats basically what I would build anyway. Its a little over $600 though.
 
I got a Leadtek because their 6600GT cooling solution IS the best

and avoid that Ultra POS mentioned above
 
i basically just did the same thing (although not my first), ordered the parts this afternoon.

PC Direct Online (UPS Ground)
Enermax Noisetaker EG475P-VE 470-Watt Power Supply - $49
No Tax/Free Shipping (w/ coupon)
Total $49

Newegg (3-Day)
RiDATA 4.7GB 16X DVD+R 100 Pack Disc - Retail - $37
AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Venice 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Processor - Retail - $146.00
SAPPHIRE 100118L Radeon X550 128MB DDR PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail - $66
NEC Black IDE DVD Burner Model ND-3540A - OEM - $39
Logitech X-230 32 Watts RMS 2.1 Speaker - OEM - $30
CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model VS1GBKIT400 - Retail - $85
Tax - $29
Shipping - $15
Total - $447

ZipZoomFly (free 2nd day shipping)
Hitachi Deskstar T7K250 160GB Serial ATA II 7200RPM Hard Drive w/8MB Buffer - $81
EPOX EP-9NPA+ULTRA nForce4 Ultra Skt939 DDR w/Audio, Gigabit LAN, RAID/SATA II Retail - $98
Tax - ~~$16
Total - $195

Comes to $691 w/o a case (I already have one). You could drop the DVDR media, saves almost $40, smaller hard drive would save ~$20, different mobo or refurb could save ~$20, no speakers is another $35(shipping). So thats down to $575 or so, and use the remaining $20 for a case. You'll probably want to upgrade the video card tho (I play games rarely, so I didn't care).
 
WHY do people always try to recommend going SO cheap oin a PSU, those Ultra;'s - rev 2's and up and pure garbage!


the MOST important part of your computer - it dies a cheap one - it takes everything with it!

get a good one - got no worries - i would not spend less then $70 on a PSU - i usually buy in the $100 range.
 
hold up. what parts u have in ur dell? dude ok, just salvage the hard drive, case(possible with dells?), and maybe ram if it doesnt use ddr2. then go ahead and get a 512 stick of ram to match ur old ram (or 1gb if u couldnt salvage ur old), 3000+ venice, mobo, and 7800gt. if u get good deals, should toltal to under 600$

update: hell easiest and cheapest of all, as long as that dells got a decent p4, slap in some more ram, and pop in a 7800gtx/gt. done. assuming that thing has a decnt p4 that is.
 
x_dreamer said:
hold up. what parts u have in ur dell? dude ok, just salvage the hard drive, case(possible with dells?), and maybe ram if it doesnt use ddr2. then go ahead and get a 512 stick of ram to match ur old ram (or 1gb if u couldnt salvage ur old), 3000+ venice, mobo, and 7800gt. if u get good deals, should toltal to under 600$

update: hell easiest and cheapest of all, as long as that dells got a decent p4, slap in some more ram, and pop in a 7800gtx/gt. done. assuming that thing has a decnt p4 that is.
Click to expand...
The dell case has proprietary power/reset jumpers. If you are changing the mobo you need a new case with it.
 
tell us the specs of your current dell. if they are half way decent, then u can do what i was saying, and just add more ram, better vid card, more hd space if need it. it has to have pci e though if u want to get curent gen video cards.
 
Ya the case is small and I only have 2 sticks of 128DDR with only 2 slots. The CPU is p4 celeron 1.8.....40gig HD.....onboard video...
 
You're going to need to rebuy Windows, as you can't transfer the license over from the Dell. If you already have it, it gets easier to fit into your budget.

Personally, my general rule is if one wants to play modern games, save up 800$ for the parts going in the tower/OS. Anything below that is probably going to be skimping on parts.
 
meh, u could, but a new video card, buy 2 sticks of ram, buy a new hard drive, and buy a new cpu. but, at that point u may as way buy a whole new pc, not to mention, the new parts is most likly too much load for the wimpy power supply(= new mobo too = new case). so yeah nvm stick with ur current plan. id recomend saving a bit more, so u can get a 7800gt, 3000+ venice, and 1gb ram (better hard drive if u need it).
 
http://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion/Shopping/shoppingcart.asp?submit=view

With $40 in rebates this is a great system all brand new for $630 shipped

If you can reuse your dvd drive and HD you'll save even more

also remember this is all brand new, if you have enough patience to get this all used throught FS forums, you'll get this for less than 500 also not a terrible overclocker if you get an aftermarket HSF

good luck, I just built a similar 754 system for like 400
 
I read it was the best PSU for DFI LanParty...am I wrong?
So..tell me what's wrong with the 520 powerstream?
EDIT: OPPS. MY MISTAKE I GOT OCZ AND THERMALTAKE MIXED UP
OCZ makes POWERSTREAM NOT ThermalTake
 
What about ram? Should I go with 2 sticks of 512 or 1 stick of a gig? Also what kind/brand should I got with?
 
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