rajncajn Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 (edited) After all this time I am FINALLY beginning my PC build. This is my first so I'm getting a lot of help(Hitman) doing it. So far I have only purchased my case, a nice Coolermaster, with all the features I was looking for and a 500w Coolmax power supply. I'm also pretty much set on the monitor, a Viewsonic LCD. I've had Viewsonics before & have always had good luck with them. I'm only hesitant to buy one online becasue I'm worried about getting dead or stuck pixels and I may just pay a little extra & get it locally. Next up is the internals, which I admittedly am no expert in. I do know that I will be using it for gaming, not hardcore but some of the games I will be playing (Oblivion) are some of the more taxing on a PC. I'll also be using it for some video editing as well as your basic home apps. One decision I have made is to hold off on the dual core for now. I just can't see spending the extra $200-$300 on something I probably won't need for another couple of years. I'm thinking by that time their prices will come down anyway. So anyway, I've been looking at over the past couple of days and here is what me & Hitman have come up with so far: Motherboard is a DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 Ultra-D - Only a couple of people here at work have heard of DFI, but I've read a lot of excellent ratings on this board. Processor is an AMD Athlon 64 4000+ - Again, excellent ratings & everything seems to fit with the mobo I'm looking at. I wouldn't be opposed to spending a little more here if it would make a difference, but from what I've read this one should be more than sufficient for what I'm doing. The two video cards I'm looking at are both GeForce 256MB cards. One is a Leadtek PX7900GT TDH Geforce 7900GT. The price is a bit lower on this one, but nobody here has any experience with this card. I question why it costs so much less even though it's a 7900GT. The other, XFX PVT70GUD2B Geforce 7800GT is a more popular brand, but for some reason has gotten few reviews from NewEgg. Also it is more $ for the 7800 vs the 7900, but I imagine that comes with the supposed quality of the XFX cards. One feature I do like on both cards is they both have HDTV outs. Again, I don't mind spending a little more on the video card if it will make that much of a difference, but I'd like to keep it under $300 and get good quality as well. So with that out there do any of you PC gurus have any suggestions on my build? Do you see anywhere that I can improve while staying in the general price-range of the components above and most of all do you see anywhere I may be making a mistake in my build? EDIT: BTW, even though I linked everything to NewEgg I am price-shopping once I find the component I want. Edited September 7, 2006 by rajncajn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driveby Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I've always wanted to do this but found that I could get almost exactly what I wanted already built, tested and warrantied for less than I could cobble one together for. Plus, I don't have time to enjoy a good computer game anymore anyways so my wireless laptops do me just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I've always wanted to do this but found that I could get almost exactly what I wanted already built, tested and warrantied for less than I could cobble one together for. Plus, I don't have time to enjoy a good computer game anymore anyways so my wireless laptops do me just fine. In a way I agree. I built my last one on paper, took it to a local guy, he matched it almost exactly (diff. PS and Case), and it was ~$150 more, but I got a 2 year warranty on everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted September 7, 2006 Author Share Posted September 7, 2006 In a way I agree. I built my last one on paper, took it to a local guy, he matched it almost exactly (diff. PS and Case), and it was ~$150 more, but I got a 2 year warranty on everything. The main reason I don't want to let somebody else build it is because I want to learn how to do it all for myself so that I don't have to rely on a tech every time I need to fix something on my PC. As far as the workings go I'm pretty adept at fixing problems, but when things go bad with the hardware itself I need help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Like Soup Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 (edited) After all this time I am FINALLY beginning my PC build. This is my first so I'm getting a lot of help(Hitman) doing it. So far I have only purchased my case, a nice Coolermaster, with all the features I was looking for and a 500w Coolmax power supply. I'm also pretty much set on the monitor, a Viewsonic LCD. I've had Viewsonics before & have always had good luck with them. I'm only hesitant to buy one online becasue I'm worried about getting dead or stuck pixels and I may just pay a little extra & get it locally. Next up is the internals, which I admittedly am no expert in. I do know that I will be using it for gaming, not hardcore but some of the games I will be playing (Oblivion) are some of the more taxing on a PC. I'll also be using it for some video editing as well as your basic home apps. One decision I have made is to hold off on the dual core for now. I just can't see spending the extra $200-$300 on something I probably won't need for another couple of years. I'm thinking by that time their prices will come down anyway. So anyway, I've been looking at over the past couple of days and here is what me & Hitman have come up with so far: Motherboard is a DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 Ultra-D - Only a couple of people here at work have heard of DFI, but I've read a lot of excellent ratings on this board. Processor is an AMD Athlon 64 4000+ - Again, excellent ratings & everything seems to fit with the mobo I'm looking at. I wouldn't be opposed to spending a little more here if it would make a difference, but from what I've read this one should be more than sufficient for what I'm doing. The two video cards I'm looking at are both GeForce 256MB cards. One is a Leadtek PX7900GT TDH Geforce 7900GT. The price is a bit lower on this one, but nobody here has any experience with this card. I question why it costs so much less even though it's a 7900GT. The other, XFX PVT70GUD2B Geforce 7800GT is a more popular brand, but for some reason has gotten few reviews from NewEgg. Also it is more $ for the 7800 vs the 7900, but I imagine that comes with the supposed quality of the XFX cards. One feature I do like on both cards is they both have HDTV outs. Again, I don't mind spending a little more on the video card if it will make that much of a difference, but I'd like to keep it under $300 and get good quality as well. So with that out there do any of you PC gurus have any suggestions on my build? Do you see anywhere that I can improve while staying in the general price-range of the components above and most of all do you see anywhere I may be making a mistake in my build? EDIT: BTW, even though I linked everything to NewEgg I am price-shopping once I find the component I want. Rajn, to get a dual core is not a jump of a couple of hundred dollars. The 4000+ you are thinking of getting is $135 at Newegg...these are socket 939 chips. If you go another $50 you can ante up to the x2 4200+ and smoke the 4000...here is a chart that compares chips in similar tests. I'd compare the AMD 4000+ (San Diego) with whichever dual core is in your price range and go through and select the type of test and take a look. Good luck! Edited September 7, 2006 by I Like Soup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted September 7, 2006 Author Share Posted September 7, 2006 Rajn, to get a dual core is not a jump of a couple of hundred dollars. The 4000+ you are thinking of getting is $135 at Newegg...these are socket 939 chips. If you go another $50 you can ante up to the x2 4200+ and smoke the 4000...here is a chart that compares chips in similar tests. I'd compare the AMD 4000+ (San Diego) with whichever dual core is in your price range and go through and select the type of test and take a look. Good luck! Good stuff ILS... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted September 7, 2006 Author Share Posted September 7, 2006 Looking at the ratings it looks like I could pay a little more and go with Intel's Core 2 Duo E6400, but then end up saving money on the motherboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Like Soup Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Looking at the ratings it looks like I could pay a little more and go with Intel's Core 2 Duo E6400, but then end up saving money on the motherboard. Well, I will say, the new Core 2 Duo's flat out smoke everything, even their lowest chip speed (the 6300 I think?). Check out those charts, they really are quite revealing. I do think bang for the buck may still give AMD a slight edge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I've said this before and I'll say it agin. No matter what you go with, get the biggest baddest thing you can afford. I guarantee you'll kick yourself in the ass if you don't. Within 2 years there will be software out that you won't be able to run and you'll be pissed. Right now, dual core is the way to go, even if it makes your wallet cry a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Well, I will say, the new Core 2 Duo's flat out smoke everything, even their lowest chip speed (the 6300 I think?). Check out those charts, they really are quite revealing. I do think bang for the buck may still give AMD a slight edge... Don't the AMDs run cooler too? Much better from the wear and tear POV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted September 7, 2006 Author Share Posted September 7, 2006 I've said this before and I'll say it agin. No matter what you go with, get the biggest baddest thing you can afford. I guarantee you'll kick yourself in the ass if you don't. Within 2 years there will be software out that you won't be able to run and you'll be pissed. Right now, dual core is the way to go, even if it makes your wallet cry a little. I'm expecting within about 2 years I'll be upgrading anyway. No matter what you buy it ends up being outdated in a couple of years, which is another reason i want to get some experience building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliaz Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Don't the AMDs run cooler too? Much better from the wear and tear POV. You know my Home PC (gaming PC) I built and I must say I am not happy with the AMDs. This next one I build will go back to intel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted September 7, 2006 Author Share Posted September 7, 2006 Don't the AMDs run cooler too? Much better from the wear and tear POV. I'd heard just the opposite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Like Soup Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Don't the AMDs run cooler too? Much better from the wear and tear POV. That used to be the case with the Athlons vs the Intels...but not with the new Core 2 Duos. They run significantly cooler under load, the AMDs are only cooler at idle. Quite the shift in both performance and power requirements, the Core 2 Duos cannot be beat. And...that is coming from an AMD guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 You know my Home PC (gaming PC) I built and I must say I am not happy with the AMDs. This next one I build will go back to intel. Really? I bought a comp with the AMD 64 back in mid-2004 and still love it. Ran Half Life 2 like a dream w/ a 128MB GeForce vid card (forget which one now though) and 1GB RAM. Haven't had time to put it up and play against anything newer though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 That used to be the case with the Athlons vs the Intels...but not with the new Core 2 Duos. They run significantly cooler under load, the AMDs are only cooler at idle. Quite the shift in both performance and power requirements, the Core 2 Duos cannot be beat. And...that is coming from an AMD guy. Good info. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted September 7, 2006 Author Share Posted September 7, 2006 Hmm... $60 price difference between this rig & the one I originally posted with a big upgrade on rated speeds from the Tom's Hardware link ILS provided. This is looking pretty good. MSI NX7900GT-VT2D256E-HD Geforce 7900GT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 VIVO PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail $274.99 Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz 2M sharing L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail $230.00 ECS NFORCE 570 SLIT-A (V5.1) Socket T (LGA 775) NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $77.99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Like Soup Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Hmm... $60 price difference between this rig & the one I originally posted with a big upgrade on rated speeds from the Tom's Hardware link ILS provided. This is looking pretty good. MSI NX7900GT-VT2D256E-HD Geforce 7900GT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 VIVO PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail $274.99 Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz 2M sharing L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail $230.00 ECS NFORCE 570 SLIT-A (V5.1) Socket T (LGA 775) NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $77.99 Nice. If you wanna tweak and stuff or want more input, we can talk about it when I get back from WCOFF! If not, and I'm sure you'd be in good hands with the other Hudders, good luck with the build! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTed46 Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 (edited) Hey Rajncajn I build computer as a side business. My website isn't 100% done but its http://www.digitaloctanepc.com The reason I havnt had time to finish is because my real job (public accountant) has been bogging me down. My recent build can be seen here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...AMESE%3AIT&rd=1 Ok enough advertising :-) I specialize in gaming rigs and if you have any problems just throw me an email or PM and I will guide you step by step on anything you have. I have experience many problems so I am familiar with alot. Your on the right track somethings you may want to consider: Socket 939 AMD Chips are not being made anymore. So in the future if you ever want to just upgrade the processor you will not be able to. Socket AM2 are replacing the 939. Currently I believe the 939s are a little quicker (they tend to have more cache) but the upgrade might be an issue for you. If you plan to build and forget until your next build then ignore this and get 939. The intel duo core is amazing! The problem with them is their motherboards. Not only are they expensive but I am not pleased with the motherboards that are currently out. I figure in about a month or so this will be fixed and more (cheaper and better) duo core motherboards will be out. At that time I will build gaming rigs using those. I would get the 7800 v 7900. The 7900 have many faults and many have RMA (Returned to Manufacturer). I currently use the 7900 because they do outperform the 7800 but I have returned many 7900s back. Just a warning. Make sure you buy the correct and compatible memory for the motherboard. Many problems occur when people buy the right memory but isnt compatible with that motherboard (you will get random BSOD - Blue Screen of Deaths) The power supply you selected is fine. I would personally go with the Rosewill RD600 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16817182041 The thing to look for in power supplies is not just the connectors and watts. But the AMPs the +12v line gets to power the video card. If you look around this Powersupply gets 22A on the+12V lines which is GOOD! I have used Rosewill Powersupplies many times as they are cost efficient, have a nice look to a gaming rig, and have great amps. Again, if you want give me a list before you buy I will take a look at it and offer my opinion (which may be different than others) and if you run into any issues during the build I am here for you. Edited: You may want to get two hard drives and run RAID 0. This increased your computer speed alot (especially in games). Just remember if one hard drive goes bad you lose all the data. If you want to protect your data and have speed then go with RAID 10 but that required 4 Hard drives. Best bet is to get 2 and go with RAID 0 Edited September 7, 2006 by MrTed46 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted September 7, 2006 Author Share Posted September 7, 2006 Hmm... $60 price difference between this rig & the one I originally posted with a big upgrade on rated speeds from the Tom's Hardware link ILS provided. This is looking pretty good. MSI NX7900GT-VT2D256E-HD Geforce 7900GT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 VIVO PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail $274.99 Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz 2M sharing L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail $230.00 ECS NFORCE 570 SLIT-A (V5.1) Socket T (LGA 775) NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $77.99 Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 ST3250824A 250GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache IDE Ultra ATA100 Hard Drive - OEM $79.99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTed46 Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 (edited) Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 ST3250824A 250GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache IDE Ultra ATA100 Hard Drive - OEM $79.99 Get 16MB Cache not 8MB And get SATA (Serial ATA 150+) not IDE (Ultra IDE up to 100) Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM Edited September 7, 2006 by MrTed46 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted September 7, 2006 Author Share Posted September 7, 2006 Get 16MB Cache not 8MB And get SATA (Serial ATA 150+) not IDE (Ultra IDE up to 100) Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD2500KS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM So do you recommend two of the same HD and is that one you listed compatible with the mobo I listed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skins Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 You may want to get two hard drives and run RAID 0. This increased your computer speed alot (especially in games). Just remember if one hard drive goes bad you lose all the data. If you want to protect your data and have speed then go with RAID 10 but that required 4 Hard drives. Best bet is to get 2 and go with RAID 0 Thats what I did, but I paid extra to get the glowing eyes on my laptop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrTed46 Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 So do you recommend two of the same HD and is that one you listed compatible with the mobo I listed? Yes that MoBo accepts SATA Connections. If you plan on doing any type of RAID it is HIGHLY recommended you purchase identical hard drives....so yea I would get 2 of them and run RAID 0. You won't regret it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted September 8, 2006 Author Share Posted September 8, 2006 Yes that MoBo accepts SATA Connections. If you plan on doing any type of RAID it is HIGHLY recommended you purchase identical hard drives....so yea I would get 2 of them and run RAID 0. You won't regret it. Right now I'm thinking of just going with the one drive & using my 40 GB external to back it up. I know it won't back up my programs (which it would doing RAID 0 anyway, right?) but I'm not going to have anything on there that I won't have a disk for anyway. For the moment I think I'm just going to spend my money on RAM instead. If I do this will it be a problem to later add a 2nd hard drive if I wish to do so? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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