Help me build my new PC

[DanAdamKOF]

College is coming up, and I have roughly $1000 to spend on a new computer. If I can, I'd like to spend less than that, so I can have maybe $200ish left to spend on a few things (iPod (I can get a 4GB Nano for like $70 after rebate thanks to a rebate they have at UT Dallas), PStwo), so if you want, we can consider my budget around $825. I've already bought a 320GB SATA-II Seagate 7200.10 hard drive, so that's taken care of. I'm keeping my mouse, keyboard, monitor (21" CRT! oh yeah!), and speakers.

Basically, I'd like it to have:
-A good AMD CPU (EDIT: Probably not dual core). Overclocking doesn't matter (I don't feel comfortable risking damage to it). I'm hesitant to say I want it to be top-of-the-line, but I want it to be quite powerful, and be able to be a decent, usable CPU about 4 years down the line. (see below)
-A nice-looking case that isn't too flashy/ricer-ish. I like how the Antec P-180 looks, and I can get it for $120+tax at Fry's. Thing is, $120 seems like a lot to spend on a case. If there's another nice-but-not-too-flashy case out there for less than that after shipping, I'd be very interested. I'd be especially interested if I don't have to order the case online since I can save on shipping. I live near Houston, so I can get a case from Directron.com locally, so if they have something cool at a nice price, clue me in.
-1GB of DDR-2 RAM at a fast speed. I don't think I'll need 2GB, and if I do, it won't be much effort to upgrade. If a nice manufacturer has 2GB for a nice price because of a sale or rebate or coupon, though, I'd like to get that.
-A video card that's about mid-range nowadays, and in the future (I guess about a year to a year and a half), it won't be so bad. I'd like to play Half Life 2 and Doom 3 at 1024 resolution, or maybe higher, and have them look nice without dropping too many frames. It of course will be PCI-E. I don't have a preferance for ATI or nVidia. It seems to me that 256MB is sort of overkill for Video RAM (correct me if I'm wrong), so 128 would do, but 256 wouldn't be bad. Could I get something decent for about $175-200? I don't plan on playing many next-gen PC games, so if there's something that'd be just fine for less than that, I'm interested.
-A sound card that's good at 2.1. By "good" I mean that it won't have static or interferance like most onboard soundcards have. If it happens to have 5.1 or whatever, fine, but I'm planning on using it with my Logitech X-230 speakers, and occasionally my Sennheiser HD-202 headphones, and that's it. Since I'm not planning on listening to any FLAC or high quality VBR MP3s and OGGs, I'm pretty sure I don't need those new X-Fi cards that Creative or whoever is putting out, but I want my card to be clear-sounding. I don't want to spend much more than $30 on this. I've heard that Turtle Beach is good, and they seem reasonably priced, but I don't know much about alternatives.
-A reliable DVDRW drive. I'm totally clueless on these. I've heard that SATA ones are overkill. And what's with the +/- thing?
-A good PSU. I'm thinking Antec. How many watts would be good?

The reason I'm so concerned with the CPU is that I plan on using this computer for at least four years without putting much money into upgrading it. Yes, four years. As a college student, I most likely won't have the cash to put towards upgrading my PC.

I'm not sure if it's worth it to buy an AM2 CPU/mobo. It seems very expensive, and I know that's where AMD is headed, but I think that if I get a nice CPU now that isn't AM2, it won't be bad.

I know I mentioned this already, but I'm uneasy about overclocking my CPU (and my video card). Is it worth considering at all? I'd have to spend more on cooling, and my RAM would have to be up to it as well. Not to mention the risk involved.

A top-tier motherboard doesn't really concern me that much. I guess having the latest nForce would be nice, but I don't think I need the most uber-godly DFI (or whoever) motherboard. I guess I should avoid lesser motherboards like ECS, though. Remember, I'm not planning on doing any overclocking, so I just need something stable. It would be nice if the motherboard came with integrated gigabit ethernet, since that's the way things are headed, and I guess it wouldn't hurt if it had integrated video, since if my video card ever dies for some reason I could fall back on that, but integrated video isn't a priority.

I know that the best deals are when a motherboard and CPU are bought as a bundle. If there are any bundles with a really good AMD CPU and a reliable motherboard, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

I'm playing with some numbers in my head, and here's about what I think I'd spend on the computer I'd like to build, assuming I don't get a AM2 CPU/mobo (tell me if I'm off):
CPU- $250
Mobo- $55
Video Card- $190
1GB RAM- $75 (after rebate)
Case- $65 (assuming I find a nice-looking one that isn't a P-180)
PSU (650W I guess??)- $55
Sound Card- $30
TOTAL: $720

(remember, I already have a hard drive)
Hey, assuming my numbers are mostly correct, that'd be a great price to build my new PC for. And if I can get a motherboard and CPU in a bundle, I can save a bit.

So, guys, give me all the advice you can! If you need any clarification on anything I said, let me know.

 

[POOPERSCOOPER]

See there are these sites that have computer hardware reviews and stuff. They tend to work a lot better than asking for everyones preference.

 

[Nesagwa]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103562

X2's start at like 300, so I dunno if you can get a deal somewhere or what.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

See there are these sites that have computer hardware reviews and stuff. They tend to work a lot better than asking for everyones preference.

I don't have the experience that some of my fellow forum members have.


Anyway, it seems that maybe $250 on a CPU would be overkill. If I'm not planning on doing a lot of gaming with nextgen PC games, I don't think I'd need that much power, since the most taxing thing I do on a semi-regular basis is encoding a DVD to DivX, which I'm used to letting happen overnight or while I'm busy anyway. Am I right in thinking this? Also it looks like I'll spend more than $55 on a nice mobo ($75 seems to be the sweet spot)

 

[ki_atsushi]

Why don't you just buy my PC? It rips through everything I throw at it, and I haven't even had to upgrade it in the past 3 years. Here's the specs:

• P4 3.2 Ghz
  2GB of DDR 400 RAM
  160GB disk space (40GB HD + 120GB HD)
  Radeon 9800 Pro (128MB version, still cooks on games)
  Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS
  Plextor 16X DVD DL Burner
  Antec NeoPower 480 Watt PSU

...and it's all in an Antec LanBoy case, which is compact but still allows for excellent airflow. I'm only half serious about selling it to you, but I would if I got a decent offer.
I kinda want to get a Mac now anyways.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

Why don't you just buy my PC? It rips through everything I throw at it, and I haven't even had to upgrade it in the past 3 years. Here's the specs:

• P4 3.2 Ghz
  2GB of DDR 400 RAM
  160GB disk space (40GB HD + 120GB HD)
  Radeon 9800 Pro (128MB version, still cooks on games)
  Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS
  Plextor 16X DVD DL Burner
  Antec NeoPower 480 Watt PSU

...and it's all in an Antec LanBoy case, which is compact but still allows for excellent airflow. I'm only half serious about selling it to you, but I would if I got a decent offer.
I kinda want to get a Mac now anyways.

umm, it's Intel-based, SHIPPING WILL BE KILLER, and I just plain want to build my own.

 

[jethrek]

College is coming up, and I have roughly $1000 to spend on a new computer. If I can, I'd like to spend less than that, so I can have maybe $200ish left to spend on a few things (iPod (I can get a 4GB Nano for like $70 after rebate thanks to a rebate they have at UT Dallas), PStwo), so if you want, we can consider my budget around $825. I've already bought a 320GB SATA-II Seagate 7200.10 hard drive, so that's taken care of. I'm keeping my mouse, keyboard, monitor (21" CRT! oh yeah!), and speakers.

Basically, I'd like it to have:
-A good AMD CPU (EDIT: Probably not dual core). Overclocking doesn't matter (I don't feel comfortable risking damage to it). I'm hesitant to say I want it to be top-of-the-line, but I want it to be quite powerful, and be able to be a decent, usable CPU about 4 years down the line. (see below)
-A nice-looking case that isn't too flashy/ricer-ish. I like how the Antec P-180 looks, and I can get it for $120+tax at Fry's. Thing is, $120 seems like a lot to spend on a case. If there's another nice-but-not-too-flashy case out there for less than that after shipping, I'd be very interested. I'd be especially interested if I don't have to order the case online since I can save on shipping. I live near Houston, so I can get a case from Directron.com locally, so if they have something cool at a nice price, clue me in.
-1GB of DDR-2 RAM at a fast speed. I don't think I'll need 2GB, and if I do, it won't be much effort to upgrade. If a nice manufacturer has 2GB for a nice price because of a sale or rebate or coupon, though, I'd like to get that.
-A video card that's about mid-range nowadays, and in the future (I guess about a year to a year and a half), it won't be so bad. I'd like to play Half Life 2 and Doom 3 at 1024 resolution, or maybe higher, and have them look nice without dropping too many frames. It of course will be PCI-E. I don't have a preferance for ATI or nVidia. It seems to me that 256MB is sort of overkill for Video RAM (correct me if I'm wrong), so 128 would do, but 256 wouldn't be bad. Could I get something decent for about $175-200? I don't plan on playing many next-gen PC games, so if there's something that'd be just fine for less than that, I'm interested.
-A sound card that's good at 2.1. By "good" I mean that it won't have static or interferance like most onboard soundcards have. If it happens to have 5.1 or whatever, fine, but I'm planning on using it with my Logitech X-230 speakers, and occasionally my Sennheiser HD-202 headphones, and that's it. Since I'm not planning on listening to any FLAC or high quality VBR MP3s and OGGs, I'm pretty sure I don't need those new X-Fi cards that Creative or whoever is putting out, but I want my card to be clear-sounding. I don't want to spend much more than $30 on this. I've heard that Turtle Beach is good, and they seem reasonably priced, but I don't know much about alternatives.
-A reliable DVDRW drive. I'm totally clueless on these. I've heard that SATA ones are overkill. And what's with the +/- thing?
-A good PSU. I'm thinking Antec. How many watts would be good?

The reason I'm so concerned with the CPU is that I plan on using this computer for at least four years without putting much money into upgrading it. Yes, four years. As a college student, I most likely won't have the cash to put towards upgrading my PC.

I'm not sure if it's worth it to buy an AM2 CPU/mobo. It seems very expensive, and I know that's where AMD is headed, but I think that if I get a nice CPU now that isn't AM2, it won't be bad.

I know I mentioned this already, but I'm uneasy about overclocking my CPU (and my video card). Is it worth considering at all? I'd have to spend more on cooling, and my RAM would have to be up to it as well. Not to mention the risk involved.

A top-tier motherboard doesn't really concern me that much. I guess having the latest nForce would be nice, but I don't think I need the most uber-godly DFI (or whoever) motherboard. I guess I should avoid lesser motherboards like ECS, though. Remember, I'm not planning on doing any overclocking, so I just need something stable. It would be nice if the motherboard came with integrated gigabit ethernet, since that's the way things are headed, and I guess it wouldn't hurt if it had integrated video, since if my video card ever dies for some reason I could fall back on that, but integrated video isn't a priority.

I know that the best deals are when a motherboard and CPU are bought as a bundle. If there are any bundles with a really good AMD CPU and a reliable motherboard, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

I'm playing with some numbers in my head, and here's about what I think I'd spend on the computer I'd like to build, assuming I don't get a AM2 CPU/mobo (tell me if I'm off):
CPU- $250
Mobo- $55
Video Card- $190
1GB RAM- $75 (after rebate)
Case- $65 (assuming I find a nice-looking one that isn't a P-180)
PSU (650W I guess??)- $55
Sound Card- $30
TOTAL: $720

(remember, I already have a hard drive)
Hey, assuming my numbers are mostly correct, that'd be a great price to build my new PC for. And if I can get a motherboard and CPU in a bundle, I can save a bit.

So, guys, give me all the advice you can! If you need any clarification on anything I said, let me know.

Motherboard = $80-$100 for a low-end AMD one if you want something decent I think. You may have decent chances of getting as much as a 6-channel audio setup on the motherboard, unless of course you want a more powerful setup.

If you're gonna spend a thousand, not including monitor/printer/scanner (consider those)

Just built my budget system using some salvage/etc.

Case - free (got a very light but unimpressively built/decent looks case from a friend)

CPU/Motherboard - $160 for a Sempron 3100 w/ K8 Triton series motherboard with ethernet/video/audio all in one. Honestly, you can find these for a better price at Fry's, but I was deep into overtime that week and AMD was hella far away...not worth taking the money off from work to go al that way.

Hard Drive- $80 for a 250GB/16MB Cache/SATA. I'm still running my DVD drive on IDE, but then my mtoherboard doesn't have that many SATA ports.

Power Supply - $30 for 450W. (make sure your power supply supports SATA, btw. watch out for 'deals' that don't)

Had DVD from my old comp so I just salvaged those...

Memory - $75 for 1 Gigabyte. No rebate, just bought some off a friend who upgraded to two gigabyres.

When I have more moeny next year I might sink a few hundred into a top-end AMD64/Motherboard, but for now this is plenty for me. I don't see specs taking off in the coming years the way they did in the past, honestly, unless you're gaming tons.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

I can get a used 6800gt for $175-200. Should I get it? For that price, would it be relatively future-proof, or is it already starting to show its age? How will it be for HL2 and Doom 3?

 

[DanAdamKOF]

I think I can save the most money by getting a really good cpu/mobo bundle deal. If I were to buy a CPU and mobo separately, I think I'd spend $150 on a CPU and $75-85 on a mobo. If that mobo has GOOD onboard sound, I can shave off another $30. The thing is, will I get something real powerful if I get a bundle like that?

If y'all want to help me find a good case, try looking through the ones at www.directron.com As I said before, directron is located real close to me, so I can save on shipping.

edit: Jet I'm planning on buying a printer actually but I'll make that a separate topic later on.

 

[Nesagwa]

http://www.directron.com/cact05uw.html

I have a Cooler Master case similar to this one, only it has a window on the side.

Really really really really solid and sturdy. If its like mine you wont need screws for any of the PCI stuff or the HD's or DVD drives, theyre all on slide latches and locks (which holds it all pretty good).

Best case Ive owned so far.

The whole front is also lined with like foam insulation so dust gets caught on the outside of the case and not sucked into your PC, which is a plus.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

http://www.directron.com/cact05uw.html

I have a Cooler Master case similar to this one, only it has a window on the side.

Really really really really solid and sturdy. If its like mine you wont need screws for any of the PCI stuff or the HD's or DVD drives, theyre all on slide latches and locks (which holds it all pretty good).

Best case Ive owned so far.

The whole front is also lined with like foam insulation so dust gets caught on the outside of the case and not sucked into your PC, which is a plus.

It looks nice, and the price is right! I might get this one. If I do, I'll be sure to take my GP2X with me, since last time I went to Directron in person to buy something, I was waiting for a while.

 

[ki_atsushi]

umm, it's Intel-based, SHIPPING WILL BE KILLER, and I just plain want to build my own.

Like I said, I was only half-serious about that offer, I figured you wouldn't go for it.

By the way, don't diss Intel processors. They are excellent for multi-tasking. AMD's are the way to go if you are a gamer, but you sounded like you weren't all that interested in gaming in one of your previous posts. As I said in my first post, my PC can easily handle anything I throw at it, and it's 3 years old.

Anyway, enjoy building your new PC!

 

[DanAdamKOF]

How does this look to y'all? This won't be bad for gaming, right?

After rebate, it's $145. Even without a rebate, it seems like a decent deal. I'll just have to buy a heatsink and fan for it.

I'm gonna look at some reviews. If the sound from it is clean, that's $30 I'd save on a sound card alone.

edit: The builtin LAN is 10/100 and not gigabit but that's really not so bad since gigabit would just be nice to have. Also, it supports a maximum of 2GB of RAM, is that normal? The RAM also appears to be DDR and not DDR2; does that make a big difference?

Edit2: This uses sort of an older socket, right? Hmm, because of that and having only DDR RAM insteasd of DDR2, I'm thinking I should pass.

 

[Magnaflux]

www.pricewatch.com

I'm picking up a 2.8 with 1 gig ram for around $250 after shipping.

 

[kernow]

 

[DanAdamKOF]

I'm not buying that 6600GT since it's AGP.

<boog>Pricewatch has some cool! deals on AM2 CPU/mobo combos </boog>

Kern my linux machine will PWN J00R M4CH1NE!

 

[DanAdamKOF]

Okay, will using DDR2 really give me that much of a boost versus using DDR? It seems like that's the biggest thing AM2 has going for it. It would be cheaper to go 939 anyway.

How does the Radeon x850xt sound? It's reasonably priced on Newegg. I was planning on spending at least $175 on a video card, but they're less than that on Newegg, so I could put what I save towards a better CPU/mobo combo.

EDIT: okay new numbers for what I think I'd spend, after checking some prices more thoroughly:
Case: $50
CPU/Mobo: $275
RAM: $75
PSU: $40
Video Card: $130 (that x850xt at newegg is that price after rebate)
TOTAL: $570

EDIT2: The rebate on that Radeon X850XT expires at midnight tonight, Pacific (so 2AM Central), FYI. It's for $20, so if I hesitate and end up getting the card anyway, it won't be so bad.

EDIT3: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102688 The more expensive version of this card comes with stuff like PowerDVD and Splinter Cell, which I can do without for a lower price. That will drop the price of my PC by $20.

 

[Nesagwa]

The 850xt will run just about anything out there pretty reasonably (or should).

Heck even a 9800 can run alot of new stuff with the settings turned down, so that one should do you good.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/r420-2.html

Just to give you some comparisons.

http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=NjkyLDI=

HL2 benchmarks.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

The 850xt will run just about anything out there pretty reasonably (or should).

Heck even a 9800 can run alot of new stuff with the settings turned down, so that one should do you good.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/r420-2.html

Just to give you some comparisons.

http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=NjkyLDI=

HL2 benchmarks.

DUDE!! Those cards do great FPS in HL2 and they're not even as new as the X850XT!

Also, as for a sound card (I'm not gonna rely on an onboard soundcard at all), I'm thinking of getting the Chaintech AV-710. It got great reviews on newegg, and the price is great.

 

[gamejunkie]

The x850xt doesn't support shader model 3.0, which means you can't use high dynamic range lighting.

You have no risk in damaging your parts if you overclock correctly.

Wait until next month when AMD drops the prices on all their chips. The X2 3800+ is dropping from $300 to $168. Plus that will allow for more AM2 motherboards to be released (hopefully DFI).

Dual core is needed. Take my advice and don't buy a single core, you'll regret it.

Buy a new monitor. 19" lcds can be had for ~$150. Even though they only goto 1280x1024 they'll kill your crt.

Don't buy a cheapo power supply, you'll regret it.

You need 2gb of ram.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

The x850xt doesn't support shader model 3.0, which means you can't use high dynamic range lighting.

You have no risk in damaging your parts if you overclock correctly.

Wait until next month when AMD drops the prices on all their chips. The X2 3800+ is dropping from $300 to $168. Plus that will allow for more AM2 motherboards to be released (hopefully DFI).

Dual core is needed. Take my advice and don't buy a single core, you'll regret it.

Buy a new monitor. 19" lcds can be had for ~$150. Even though they only goto 1280x1024 they'll kill your crt.

Don't buy a cheapo power supply, you'll regret it.

You need 2gb of ram.

Will not having HDR really make that much of a difference? I have until 2AM CST to decide whether to get the X850XT and save $20, so I gotta know real fast. The X850XT seems really well recieved. Are you sure I shouldn't get it? I've heard it runs HL2 and Doom 3 very well, and those are the most recent games I plan to play; I could also play some more recent games with it but maybe without them looking as nice. What card do you think I should get in the $125-$150 range? In the $175-$200 range?

We'll see about overclocking, but I'm wary.

When next month will the price drop come? I can get a whole ton of bang for my buck if the price will drop that much. I mean, I can spend $275 (maybe less than that if I spend more on a video card) or so now and maybe get a nice mobo and a 3500+, or I can wait a while and get a freakin' dual core processor and motherboard. I'm definately gonna wait.

I don't want to get a new monitor unless my current one is having problems.

How much do you think I should spend on a PSU? I don't know what to get, except one that doesn't suck.

How much do you think 2GB of good DDR2 RAM will cost? I've seen good 1GB DDR RAM for cheap.

 

[EVIL NICK]

For PSU, go for this one :

PSU : XClio 450BL
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16817189003
US$39.99

It's a no name, but well received for budget builds in the OC community.

Edit : Definitely wait for next month.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

In about an hour, the $20 rebate will expire, so if you have any input on the video card I'm considering, please speak your mind!

 

[DanAdamKOF]

10 minutes 'til 2AM...

 

[ki_atsushi]

That's a very good price for that card. However, you might want to go with something more future-proof, i.e. a card with Shader Model 3.0 and 512MB of VRAM. It's up to you though, I'm sure the card will still perfrom well (minus the super high quality eye-candy) for the next two or so years.