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New computer Specs: Help me decide!

S

SelRahc

Limp Gawd
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Messages
389
Hi all,
This is my first post here on [H] and I thought i'd make it a good one :D
I'm about to replace my old limping system with a completely new rig. I've put together a list of what I want to use and I want to know what everyone thinks. What I should look at changing. I will be running stock initially with plans to run OC shortly thereafter once I learn a little more about it (I'm new to OCing). I would wait to upgrade but my system is almost completely dead :(

My budget is about $3000 +/-. Can go alittle over if necessary, but I think that should cover it. I will not be replacing my .24dpi Sony 19" I am waiting until LCD's get alittle better. I'm concerned only about the system itself. I'm a bit behind in what is what, so please point out any flaws I have made!

Here is what I have come up with so far.

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 FX-53
Motherboard: ABit AV8 (maybe 3rd eye)
or MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum
Memory: OCZ PC-4000 1GB (or 2 GB)
Video: ATI Radeon X800 XT PL AGP
or Nvidia BFG 6800 GT OC AGP
Hard Disks: Maxtor 200GB SATA 8mb (Max # of SATA drives based on MB)
DVD / Burner: NEC 8x Dule Layer DVD +/- RW ND-2510a
Case: CoolerMaster CMSTACKER & Window (or ill add myself later)
Cooling: Swiftech H20 120 or 220 kit with Video and Chipset blocks
Power Supply: Looking for ideas. Thinking about CoolerMaster True Power 450, but want quiet one.
Audio: Creative Labs ZS Plat. / Plat Pro (OPTIONAL: if MB audio sucks)
Speakers: Have a set of Bose Companion 3 speakers, but replacement to a 5.1 or better is optional.
Misc: UV goodies :D (low priority)

Comments:

- This system will not be relocated often (not really for lan parties).
- I'm still unsure about which video card to select, but I think I am leaning towards the ATI.
- Motherboards is another area I am out of touch in. Any suggestions?
- As for memory I haven't a clue. Is that a good memory for what I want to do?

Overall comments, suggestions or plain old sence slapping is encouraged. I want to make sure I don't make any mistakes this time around. Thanks in advance and I'm glad to be a new member of the forum ^^;

Sel
 
I wish I had your budget, then I could build 3 Athlon64 systems :D

Anyway, yeah, everything looks nice; with that budget, definitely push the 2GB memory; you'll be ahead of everyone else. I'd also think about a dual Western Digital Raptor in RAID 0 for the system drive and a 250 or 300GB drive for everything else. nVidia 6800 or ATI X800 for video card. Might as well throw on a DVD-ROM drive just to make it easy to copy CD's (no swapping CD/DVD's) and it'll only add about $30-40.

You might even think about adding on a TV-tuner if you're into that kind of stuff; a Hauppage PVR-250 is only about $150.

Shoot, for 3 G's, I'd run out of stuff to buy; I'd probably just build two computers for that price :D
 
Wow... nice system! :)


All that and no Raptor? ;)


Good luck finding that ATi card... it might be a while! :D




when you get it built, don't forget to post benchmarks! :p



Have fun.
 
By Raptor do you mean Western Digital Raptor drives? Are they SATA and would you happen to know the Model #? I only saw the Caviar drives on their site.

Sel
 
I'd also think about a dual Western Digital Raptor in RAID 0 for the system drive and a 250 or 300GB drive for everything else.
Click to expand...

I thought I read somewhere, maybe it was Tom's Hardware, that stated that Soft Raid sollutions (like on these MB's) just caused more CPU overhead and had a higher data corruption rate then it was worth. And it said there was no speed gained. Did I read wrong/ was the guide wrong?

You might even think about adding on a TV-tuner if you're into that kind of stuff;
Click to expand...
Naah. Thats what my real TV is for.... at least I THINK I still have a real TV... I haven't used it in so long I can't remember lol :rolleyes:

Sel
 
True, I'm not a fan of soft RAID myself, however, you could still get your pimp on with a 10,000 RPM Western Digital Raptor 74GB. Even by itself, it's pretty fast.
 
I see the Raptor drives on the site now... they are fast. Not sure how I missed them.... probably cause they were in the enterprise area...

It's too bad it only goes up to 74gb ;; Allthough it's not like I am running a huge file server here.... Perhaps maxing the system out with Raptors wouldn't be a bad idea after all... IF I can use 4 drives. Thats about 300gb, which is plenty. I have 100gb of anime alone so just 2 wouldn't cut it.

Ouch, those are expensive little buggers aren't they... 4 would throw me over budget, but its an expense I can eat if needbe.... IF it would make THAT much of a difference... Would it?

If just 2 drives are available do you think a Raptor sata for just Windows, and a 250 GB WD Caviar® SE 7200 RPM, 8 MB for the rest would improve my speeds overall? Sure seems like a waste of drive space... even if it is faster.

Sel
 
I would go with the Raptor as a system drive then buy the biggest single hard drive I could afford to dump all my data to.
 
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