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Ordering a new computer in a couple days
Raslin
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Alright, I'm finally reaching the goal line. After months of wanting, reading, and wishing, I think I'm ready. I think this will work well, but I'm going to throw it on here for final comments...
APEVIA X-ALIEN-BK/500 Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case ATX 500W(89.99)
Seagate Barracuda 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s(67.99)
ABIT KN9 Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce4 Ultra ATX(62.99 after promo code)
SAPPHIRE X1950PRO 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP(154.99, 134.99 after $20 rebate)
SONY Black IDE DVD-ROM(17.99)
WINTEC AMPO 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300)(89.99)
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+(65W) Windsor 2.4GHz Socket AM2(119.99)
Shipping: $26.83
Tax: $43.78
Total: $674.54
Total w/ Rebate: 654.54
Alright, there she is. A few comments.
1. I will probably just barely be able to afford $675 dollars as it is. If you want me to get a more expensive part for something else, realize I will have to probably cut down elsewhere.
2. Its cheapo ram... but its been getting good reviews. Its got lifetime limited warranty, so I should be alright with this, right?
3. I would spend more on a case/power supply, but I'm cutting it really close as it is. This has good reviews, and people have been running higher powered stuff on it without problems.
4. 4600+ has been doing better in benchmarks than the E6300(both stock), for 63 dollars less. I don't think the C2D price cut will be enough to make this a bad deal. Besides, I like AMD.
5. This will be a gaming computer, with some 3dsmax/photoshop on the side. Windows XP home will be the operating system, until I feel Vista is good enough.
6. If you want to recommend other things, just keep #1 in mind. I want this computer yesterday. It will be hard to come up with more money.
APEVIA X-ALIEN-BK/500 Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case ATX 500W(89.99)
Seagate Barracuda 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s(67.99)
ABIT KN9 Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce4 Ultra ATX(62.99 after promo code)
SAPPHIRE X1950PRO 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP(154.99, 134.99 after $20 rebate)
SONY Black IDE DVD-ROM(17.99)
WINTEC AMPO 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300)(89.99)
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+(65W) Windsor 2.4GHz Socket AM2(119.99)
Shipping: $26.83
Tax: $43.78
Total: $674.54
Total w/ Rebate: 654.54
Alright, there she is. A few comments.
1. I will probably just barely be able to afford $675 dollars as it is. If you want me to get a more expensive part for something else, realize I will have to probably cut down elsewhere.
2. Its cheapo ram... but its been getting good reviews. Its got lifetime limited warranty, so I should be alright with this, right?
3. I would spend more on a case/power supply, but I'm cutting it really close as it is. This has good reviews, and people have been running higher powered stuff on it without problems.
4. 4600+ has been doing better in benchmarks than the E6300(both stock), for 63 dollars less. I don't think the C2D price cut will be enough to make this a bad deal. Besides, I like AMD.
5. This will be a gaming computer, with some 3dsmax/photoshop on the side. Windows XP home will be the operating system, until I feel Vista is good enough.
6. If you want to recommend other things, just keep #1 in mind. I want this computer yesterday. It will be hard to come up with more money.
I cant url good so add me on steam anyways steamcommunity.com/id/Raslin
3ds friend code: 2981-6032-4118
3ds friend code: 2981-6032-4118
Raslin on
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3ds friend code: 2981-6032-4118
Other than that, it looks like an excellent computer for your price range.
Aye, I'd rather get corsair or even kingston, but good reviews + low low price = happy feet.
Also, crap. The ten dollar promo code wont work for the motherboard now. I hope my paycheck is bigger than I thought
3ds friend code: 2981-6032-4118
I would only suggest that if you're going with Vista, see if you can get some more RAM. Apparently it really shines if you have 4GB because it starts to cache a lot of stuff you commonly use.
If you can't afford it, or if you're going with XP, then 2GB would work just fine. All in all, it sounds like a damned fine system you've spec'd out there.
I don't think 32-bit Vista can address more than 3 gigs.
That DVD-ROM is really cheap.
Aye, but like half of the DVD-ROM's were $17-20.
Also, guys, what do you think of this case?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16811147001
Seems to have good reviews, few complaints about the PSU, and people running systems equal or more taxing than mine on it...
Edit: I need 282.72 dollars more to buy this computer. I think I'm getting paid 282 dollars today. Christ, I hope I did my math right... I want this computer :P
3ds friend code: 2981-6032-4118
EDIT: Rosewill has pretty good budget cases, in my experience. They're not super-sturdy, though (super-sturdy defined as "capable of surviving UPS delivery").
A. I don't have 10 extra dollars
B. I have three computers with DVD Burners in my house already. I just need something to use for running disks :P
3ds friend code: 2981-6032-4118
In that case, don't get the drive at all, just yank one from one of those other computers. Really, half the point of building your own computer is cannabalizing old computers for parts.
One is in the computer I'm on right now(My dads), one is on my laptop, and one is on my brother's laptop. The only things I can take is an LCD from a really old computer(LCD was the last thing bought for it), keyboard, mouse, and speakers.
3ds friend code: 2981-6032-4118
He's got an Athlon x64 in that system. So while it was a remote possibility, it was still a possibility. (Also, no I wouldn't recommend running Vista x64.)
I've got to agree with The Warlock here... get the DVD-ROM and then screw over one of the other computers so that you can have a burner. :P
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
i dont like sony brand opticals.. if there was another brand like LG you could get for the same price id do it
I might get this case over that one
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129015
But really, thats all the money I have. So while I'd love to get a better case and PSU, etc, I have a 10 dollar budget to upgrade :P
My money should appear in my account when I wake up tomorrow, so I shall be ordering soon... woot!
3ds friend code: 2981-6032-4118
i need high quality for digital modeling but i need absolutely zip in the entertainment department.
My PC's mobo may be fried beyond all hope. As such, I'm thinking of salvaging what I have and attempting to start anew. Salvageable, I can take the video card, harddrive, DVD drive, sound card, TV tuner, and the processor fan. Everything else, I'd need to replace. Which would be case, motherboard, processor, RAM.
Lets say I have under 500 to do that. Actually, my case might be good, but my power supply is a 350W, and I've never installed a power supply before, though I suppose it can't be THAT hard. Anyone got specs for the cheapest compatible Intel dual core, 1 to 2 gigs of ram, and a mobo with at least 3 PCI slots?
Depends on how low you want to go, and what your keeping. Is your graphics card a agp or pci-e?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145167 115$ for 2gb of decent memory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131030 126$ for a decent motherboard.
Which leaves you 250 to find a decent core2duo chip. Price drop is coming soon, so that might be your luck. You could also get an E4300 or this E6320 for 195$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115015
~436$ So, that should get you to where you want to be.
I hope that helps.
Can I safely use a 350W power supply with that new mobo? My old stuff worked fine with it.
edit: and the customer reviews on that mobo scare me.
Depends on your videocard. You might need a 400watt to get it going. I'm using the exact same motherboard listed there. Its just fine.
This is another option
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131142
It might be worth getting another power supply. *shrug* good luck with that though.
I am spending $154.99 on my X1950 pro, with $5.64 shipping. I can grab a 8600GT for $169.99 with free shipping, so effectively ten dollars more.
I've heard bad stuff about the 8600GT though, and I'd probably have to bump my processor down a notch to afford this. Would it be better to get like an X2 4400+ and an 8600GT, or stay with what I have, and try to pick up a cheap 8800 later down the line, when DX10 starts becoming important?
3ds friend code: 2981-6032-4118
Based on a quick look on Newegg, I'd reccomend this case:
Athenatech A416BS.400 Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
I've not heard anything bad about Athenatech's PSUs, and they're not on the [H]ard forums list of PSUs to avoid, but the brand name of the PS is obscured in newegg's pics. Not a good sign. Take it out of the case when you first get it. If it has some heft to it and is an Athenatech PS, give it a try. Otherwise, pick up this PSU:
FSP Group (Fortron Source) AX400-PN
Even if you need to order the FSP power supply, it should cost about the same as the case you picked. And despite the lower wattage rating, it'll at least power your system as well as the APEVIA would have. They both claim the same ratings on the 12v rails, and that's where recent computers draw almost all of thier power from. (Not that I trust APEVIA's claims, mind you.)
On a side note, if you'd like to see what happens when the kind of power supply typically included in a case is put under stress, check this out.
3ds friend code: 2981-6032-4118
I don't remeber the specific advantages or if its a better OC'er then the 6400 or what, but it might be worth getting if you can afford it. Ya I hear you on the motherboard issue. I couldn't find a single motherboard to really get behind. Asus really makes it easy to put together a computer (besides the cpu install, but thats intels fault, not asus)
Meh, Nothings good it seems
O rly? 600 or so of MHZ on cpu does not make much difference in gaming. Most of the job is done on the GPU anyways. 3Dmark06 may show stellar bonus in games, but really if you reserach the actual game performance - you'll see that the differencese are closer to 10-20% between top and bottom performing CPUs.
Anyone know what I could put into the floppy-bay now that I've ripped the thing out of my PC? There's a big hole in the front of it now and, while I'm sure that's good for the ventilation, it's not doing its looks any favours.
There's a pretty good article about this here, from firingsquad.
was recommended to me. Anyone have any reasons why I should abstain?
...an 8800GTS would cost me at least 100 dollars more. I'd have to get like an Athlon 64 3000+ and 1 gig of ram to afford the cost difference, I can't really cut back on the mobo. I think I'll be fine with my setup. Besides, the video card will be one of the first things I'll upgrade, when DX10 games start coming out. I'll grab an 8800 or mid-end X2--- when I need it.
3ds friend code: 2981-6032-4118