new rig

B

BloodSugar

n00b
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
17
1) What will you be doing with this PC? I'll be using it mostly for gaming.
2) What's your budget? $1700 with moniter and OS (With tax and shipping)
3) Where do you live? Canada :( (montreal)
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. Please be very specific. Moniter, OS, ram, hdd, motherboard, gfx card, cpu, gpu, case, soundcard..etc
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model. I won't be reusing anything.
6) Will you be overclocking? I will be overclocking my cpu (e8400 to 4.0ghz after a few months, thats when ill buy a tuniq tower)
7) What size monitor do you have or plan to have? 22"
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Xmas

What I have so far:

Case: Antec 300 $116.04
+
PSU PSU: Antec Neo Power 500 500W COMBO
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produc...SubCategory=58&SortField=0&PageSize=10&page=1

DvD: Sony NEC 20x dvd $29.99
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118011

Hard drive: WD6400AAKS 640GB $90.07
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136218&Tpk=WD6400AAKS

Video card: Gtx 260 $269.94
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127361

Ram: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 RAM DDR2 100 $71.14
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231145

Cpu: E8400 + P5Q combo $330
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299

Moniter:Samsung SyncMaster 2253BW 22IN Widescreen LCD Monitor Black 1680X1050 8000:1 DVI VGA $209.99
http://www.compu2000.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=513

OS: 64bit vista premium $130
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=15800SW5866

-----
Total: $1,309.46
+ 140.00(vista)
= $1449.46 WITH SHIPPING AND TAXES!

Soundcard: ?? dont really need one, but would like one

So what do you guys think? Should I go xfire or not? What should I change? Any better deals on different sites?

4830 crossfire out performs a gtx280 in some games lol. http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=16300&page=6
 
As for a HDD, I highly recomend this:

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB

Also this ram is cheaper (You could get 8gb for the same price as the OCZ) and better IMHO:

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)

The Xigmatek is only $21.99 now w/ $10 MIR and does just about the same job as the Tuniq does for ALOT less

XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler

Remember, If you decide to get the Xigmatek, To get the retention bracket as well. XIGMATEK ACK-I7751 Retention Bracket - (OOS at the current time)
 
fantomau said:
As for a HDD, I highly recomend this:

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB

Also this ram is cheaper (You could get 8gb for the same price as the OCZ) and better IMHO:

G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)

The Xigmatek is only $21.99 now w/ $10 MIR and does just about the same job as the Tuniq does for ALOT less

XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler

Remember, If you decide to get the Xigmatek, To get the retention bracket as well. XIGMATEK ACK-I7751 Retention Bracket - (OOS at the current time)
Click to expand...


Yeah, I'm gonna use that hdd (thanks btw<3). I was going to use Xigmatek but since I live in Canada I have to buy it from newegg.ca, and I couldn't find the retention bracket :confused:
 
Don't count the after-rebate price as you have to pay the before-rebate cost at checkout. It gets annoying for us to offer you some price-saving advice as we often have to adjust our recommendations after finding you that you've been using the AR price all along.

For overclocking, go with the G.Skill DDR2 1000 kit. Since you want to overclock, pick up some faster RAM that will allow you to push your FSB up without having to adjust the settings on the RAM. That said, the G.Skill DDR2 800 would still allow you a meager overclock; however, you wouldn't be able to reach 4GB with DDR2 800 RAM. The GA-EP43-DS3L is also a better choice for overclocking than the ASRock board in your OP.

You don't need CrossFire for the resolution you're using. In fact, you could go with the Gigabyte GA-EP43-DS3L and the MSI GTX 260 to save some money. While the HD4830 CF setup may be better for gaming, it's a moot point if you can't afford it.

You're getting the combo deal with the Three Hundred case and the NeoPower 500 PSU, right? Since you don't need CrossFire/SLI, this could be another way to save a few dollars.

Try onboard sound out first, and later get a sound card if you're otherwise disappointed.

Which other corners are you willing to cut, price-wise?
 
tiraides said:
Don't count the after-rebate price as you have to pay the before-rebate cost at checkout. It gets annoying for us to offer you some price-saving advice as we often have to adjust our recommendations after finding you that you've been using the AR price all along.

For overclocking, go with the G.Skill DDR2 1000 kit. Since you want to overclock, pick up some faster RAM that will allow you to push your FSB up without having to adjust the settings on the RAM. That said, the G.Skill DDR2 800 would still allow you a meager overclock; however, you wouldn't be able to reach 4GB with DDR2 800 RAM. The GA-EP43-DS3L is also a better choice for overclocking than the ASRock board in your OP.

You don't need CrossFire for the resolution you're using. In fact, you could go with the Gigabyte GA-EP43-DS3L and the MSI GTX 260 to save some money. While the HD4830 CF setup may be better for gaming, it's a moot point if you can't afford it.

You're getting the combo deal with the Three Hundred case and the NeoPower 500 PSU, right? Since you don't need CrossFire/SLI, this could be another way to save a few dollars.

Try onboard sound out first, and later get a sound card if you're otherwise disappointed.

Which other corners are you willing to cut, price-wise?
Click to expand...

I don't know much about computers to be honest, this is my first time building one. I'm going to ask my friend about the ram when he gets on. Anyways, the 4830xfire is only $30 more then the gtx 260, and it gets better friends in almost all the games. Is it really worth the extra $30? And I don't think I wanna cheap out on the psu. 500W isnt all that much. And I'm going to ask my friend about the mobo too.

I think maybe there are cheaper 22" moniters? And vista costs A LOT, I'm going to cheack if my cousin could get me one for cheaper
 
You never answered my main question: Which components are you willing to switch out to save yourself some money. As I mentioned earlier, it doesn't make sense to go with the "better" option if it pushes you over your budget.

The main thing to look for in a power supply is not the maximum wattage it carries but the amount of power it generates from the 12V rail. The long story short is that the NeoPower 500 can support a system with the GTX 260, but I don't know how well it would hold up with a HD4830 CrossFire setup. Again, you don't need CrossFire for this setup; you could go an alternate route (as I've shown you earlier) to save some money.
 
Also depends on his games, since he didn't list them (hinthint). If he's just gonna be wowing or csing, then yea.
 
tiraides said:
You never answered my main question: Which components are you willing to switch out to save yourself some money. As I mentioned earlier, it doesn't make sense to go with the "better" option if it pushes you over your budget.

The main thing to look for in a power supply is not the maximum wattage it carries but the amount of power it generates from the 12V rail. The long story short is that the NeoPower 500 can support a system with the GTX 260, but I don't know how well it would hold up with a HD4830 CrossFire setup. Again, you don't need CrossFire for this setup; you could go an alternate route (as I've shown you earlier) to save some money.
Click to expand...

The only combo deal I see with that PSU is an antec twelve hundred, not 300 :]

It would cost me $70 more if I bought that combo deal, I guess you just read wrong?:)

And for switching to the gtx 260, you didn't answer my question :confused: If i buy that ram and change to a gtx260, ill save $37. Like I said before, I don't mind spending the extra 40 dollars if its worth it and I know I'll be getting better performance. If not then ill just go with the gtx260. My friend said my ram (ddr2 800) is absolutely fine, but I'm not sure. Can anyone else confirm?


I tried my best to answer your main questions because I don't know what to tell you. I said maybe I can get a cheaper 22" moniter or call up my cousin to see if he can get me a copy of vista for cheaper. Maybe even get a pirated copy, but I don't know if I want to do that :rolleyes:

Lowtechk, the games I play are CS:S, Wow, some crysis, cod4-5, fallout 3, tf2, planning to play other fps and mmo's in the future.
 
Then the gtx260 will be fine. Also easier to resell 1 card than 2 cards y'know.. 2cards configs can hit or miss w/ scaling. ddr2800 will do fine
 
BloodSugar said:
The only combo deal I see with that PSU is an antec twelve hundred, not 300 :]

It would cost me $70 more if I bought that combo deal, I guess you just read wrong?:)
Click to expand...

Check the combo deals listed here. You could also check out the GenHard FAQ for a list of Canada-based retailers; you may be able to find better deals from searching another store.

BloodSugar said:
And for switching to the gtx 260, you didn't answer my question :confused: If i buy that ram and change to a gtx260, ill save $37. Like I said before, I don't mind spending the extra 40 dollars if its worth it and I know I'll be getting better performance. If not then ill just go with the gtx260. My friend said my ram (ddr2 800) is absolutely fine, but I'm not sure. Can anyone else confirm?
Click to expand...

In a way, I did: The HD4830 CrossFire setup isn't worth the money if it ended up placing you over your budget. DDR2 800 RAM is fine if you're not planning a major overclock of the processor, but I recommended DDR2 1000 RAM (which allows you to achieve a higher potential overclock) because you said you planned on overclocking the processor to 4GHz.

I understand that replacing the RAM and the video card alone won't generate some savings. What I was suggesting was that you replace the video card, the RAM (compared to the DDR2 1066 kit you were considering earlier), and the motherboard so you could save some money.

BloodSugar said:
I tried my best to answer your main questions because I don't know what to tell you. I said maybe I can get a cheaper 22" moniter or call up my cousin to see if he can get me a copy of vista for cheaper. Maybe even get a pirated copy, but I don't know if I want to do that :rolleyes:

Lowtechk, the games I play are CS:S, Wow, some crysis, cod4-5, fallout 3, tf2, planning to play other fps and mmo's in the future.
Click to expand...

If you want to save some money, based off your original build, you could go with some of the following:

- Switch to a single-card setup, and/or get a motherboard that supports only one card. (Since gameplay is a priority for you, I decided to go with the GTX 260 in order to give you performance similar to the HD4830 CF setup.)
- Go for DDR2 800 RAM. You could still maintain a meager overclock, but you wouldn't be able to (safely) push your processor to 4GHz or higher.
- Get a cheaper processor, like the E7200. Though you won't get as high of an overclock as you would with the E8400, you could still push it (using DDR2 800 RAM) above 3GHz.
- Omit the CPU cooler. However, you may not be able to overclock well (if at all) with the stock HSF.
- Get a cheaper power supply -- ideally, along with the switch to one video card. A quality power supply of at least 500 watts (from a reputable vendor) could power most single-card setups.
- Look for deals/specials from other online retailers.

You can reduce the price of this build, but you have to sacrifice something.
 
tiraides said:
Check the combo deals listed here. You could also check out the GenHard FAQ for a list of Canada-based retailers; you may be able to find better deals from searching another store.



In a way, I did: The HD4830 CrossFire setup isn't worth the money if it ended up placing you over your budget. DDR2 800 RAM is fine if you're not planning a major overclock of the processor, but I recommended DDR2 1000 RAM (which allows you to achieve a higher potential overclock) because you said you planned on overclocking the processor to 4GHz.

I understand that replacing the RAM and the video card alone won't generate some savings. What I was suggesting was that you replace the video card, the RAM (compared to the DDR2 1066 kit you were considering earlier), and the motherboard so you could save some money.



If you want to save some money, based off your original build, you could go with some of the following:

- Switch to a single-card setup, and/or get a motherboard that supports only one card. (Since gameplay is a priority for you, I decided to go with the GTX 260 in order to give you performance similar to the HD4830 CF setup.)
- Go for DDR2 800 RAM. You could still maintain a meager overclock, but you wouldn't be able to (safely) push your processor to 4GHz or higher.
- Get a cheaper processor, like the E7200. Though you won't get as high of an overclock as you would with the E8400, you could still push it (using DDR2 800 RAM) above 3GHz.
- Omit the CPU cooler. However, you may not be able to overclock well (if at all) with the stock HSF.
- Get a cheaper power supply -- ideally, along with the switch to one video card. A quality power supply of at least 500 watts (from a reputable vendor) could power most single-card setups.
- Look for deals/specials from other online retailers.

You can reduce the price of this build, but you have to sacrifice something.
Click to expand...

So I listened to your advise, and I changed the motherboard, went for the antec 300 and PSU combo, went with a gtx260 and took out the heatsink since ill buy it in july when I'm going to overclock. Now I'm at $1536... I still have money to spend xD. Think I should change that 260 for an 4870?
 
If you're considering a larger monitor (of at least 24 inches) within the next 12 months, then you could make the switch. However, the GTX 260 and HD4870 perform similarly enough that you don't really need to change your options. (Price-wise, the GTX 260 is a bit cheaper than the HD4870.)

Unless you have a dire need, I suggest you save the extra money for your first round of updates.
 
tiraides said:
If you're considering a larger monitor (of at least 24 inches) within the next 12 months, then you could make the switch. However, the GTX 260 and HD4870 perform similarly enough that you don't really need to change your options. (Price-wise, the GTX 260 is a bit cheaper than the HD4870.)

Unless you have a dire need, I suggest you save the extra money for your first round of updates.
Click to expand...

# Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8400 - Retail
# ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail


Should I get that combo instead of the motherboard I have now?
 
Yup, for just a little more, $8 more you can get the Asus P5Q Pro mobo + Intel E8400 cpu Combo Deal for $329.17
 
One more vote for the E8400/P5Q Pro combo deal.

Though the P5Q Pro supports (dual x8) CrossFire and is has better overclocking features (than the GA-EP43-DS3L), my point about the video card remains valid.
 
tiraides said:
One more vote for the E8400/P5Q Pro combo deal.

Though the P5Q Pro supports (dual x8) CrossFire and is has better overclocking features (than the GA-EP43-DS3L), my point about the video card remains valid.
Click to expand...


Thanks for all your help man. I'm gonna go with that motherboard too I guess, its like $8 more :cool:
 
If you can afford to, I also recommend that you get an inexpensive 4GB DDR2 1000 kit now. It will be one less thing you'll have to buy if and when you finally decide to overclock the processor.
 
tiraides said:
If you can afford to, I also recommend that you get an inexpensive 4GB DDR2 1000 kit now. It will be one less thing you'll have to buy if and when you finally decide to overclock the processor.
Click to expand...

Alright.


While I was looking for better deals, I found this moniter:
Samsung SyncMaster 2253BW 22IN Widescreen LCD Monitor Black 1680X1050 8000:1 DVI VGA $209.99
http://www.compu2000.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=513

and cheaper vista: (gonna cost $140 with shipping, which will save me like $25
http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=15800SW5866

Should I change?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top