Well, the price of the 5400 is what caught my eye. An E7200 is about 30 dollars more, which I suppose is acceptable. If I went with the E7200, what motherboard would you recommend? With prices from Newegg:
Motherboard: Asus M2A-VM HDMI $79.99
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5400+ $87.00
RAM: 2GB DDR2-800 $41.49
GPU: PNY Geforce 9600GT $114.99
HDD: Seagate ST3640323AS 640GB $89.99
DVD drive $25.99 Case (with 350w power supply): IN WIN IW-C589T $65.99
Monitor: Acer AL2216Wbd 22" LCD $199.99
For the motherboard, the Gigabyte GA-EP35-DSL (I think) is the last-generation budget winner.
But the bolded part. Oh dear me, that won't do. I'm headed home, but paging DE25.
PeregrineFalcon on
Looking for a DX:HR OnLive code for my kid brother.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
My usual reply is "don't buy case/mobo combos." It's usually smarter to buy them separate. Looking at your setup, however, the PSU should be just fine. The only thing irking me is that they talk about the PSU but don't give any hard statistics and information on it.
I'm not one to buy something with knowing what it is, so I'd go with option A.) Case + PSU Separately.
I highly advise against that brand of PSU. The PSU is something you CANNOT gimp yourself on. It's arguably one of the most important parts of any system.
Ok so this is my motherboard, and this is the desktop it was packaged with. This is probably going to sound like a stupid question, but can someone tell me for sure that it won't support the e8400/e8500 processors? I realize they aren't listed on the supported processors list, I just want to be sure before I buy a new motherboard (in case that list is just outdated or a something like that).
Ok so this is my motherboard, and this is the desktop it was packaged with. This is probably going to sound like a stupid question, but can someone tell me for sure that it won't support the e8400/e8500 processors? I realize they aren't listed on the supported processors list, I just want to be sure before I buy a new motherboard (in case that list is just outdated or a something like that).
It wont. And even if it could it would require a BIOS update, which Compaq currently doesn't have.
Well after having had my 8800GT 512mb in my 2.5 year old system (in place of the x850xt 256mb) as a temporary stop-gap for about a month or two I've finally begin purchasing some parts to go ahead on the new build - salvaging maybe, maybe the SB Audigy 2 ZS from the old system besides the video card.
Ordered: EVGA 750i FTW @ NewEgg $174.99 - $20 MIR = 154.99 AR. I don't need 3 way SLI but still want to have the option to go dual 8800GT SLI down the road a little later.
To be decided:
An Intel based processor. I originally wanted at Q6600 ($175) but on the way decided to pickup a E8400 for $170 instead (w/ E0 stepping - retail), but Fry's (B&M) have been out of stock for 2 weeks of the retail kit and the sales guy said is likely discontinued now (D:). Now I'm thinking either order it at NewEgg and take a my chances on getting one with E0 stepping. Anyone know if NewEgg's current supply are saturated with E0 stepped E8400 or a mixed etc? Perhaps wait for the Q9450 or others to come down a bit to the low $200?
Hard Drive. Not really important, Just don't want to pay over $100 for a SATA one.
Optical Drive. Not important either, any SATA drive will do.
RAM. Here's my dilemma, I don't know why but I'm heart set on getting a 4gb pair of DDR2 800 with 4-4-4-12 timing from Corsair (CORSAIR XMS2 DHX 4GB) but holy cow it's a little expensive compared to the other brands with diffrent voltages and timing. Would it be much different (performance wise) if I go with something like lets say...this or this?
Thanks for the fast response, I expected the motherboard to be limited since the system is a fairly low-end pre-built machine but I just wanted to be sure.
This is what I'm looking at currently for my new (WAR-fueled) upgrade, I don't have a ton of experience in this area so if someone could point out if there are any glaring problems or any suggestions I would really appreciate it.
The only reason for the e8500 over the e8400 (which is usually what I see suggested) is that the price difference ended up being ~5$, so it seemed worthwhile unless I am missing some compatibility issue.
I will be trying to use the case, hard drive, CD drive and power supply I already have. However I can't find the size specifications of the motherboard anywhere either on the manufacturer or vendor's websites so I don't know how well that could work. Probably best to go with a new case to avoid problems?
Also, my current power supply is a Corsair 450w, is that sufficient for this setup?
Well after having had my 8800GT 512mb in my 2.5 year old system (in place of the x850xt 256mb) as a temporary stop-gap for about a month or two I've finally begin purchasing some parts to go ahead on the new build - salvaging maybe, maybe the SB Audigy 2 ZS from the old system besides the video card.
Ordered: EVGA 750i FTW @ NewEgg $174.99 - $20 MIR = 154.99 AR. I don't need 3 way SLI but still want to have the option to go dual 8800GT SLI down the road a little later.
To be decided:
An Intel based processor. I originally wanted at Q6600 ($175) but on the way decided to pickup a E8400 for $170 instead (w/ E0 stepping - retail), but Fry's (B&M) have been out of stock for 2 weeks of the retail kit and the sales guy said is likely discontinued now (D:). Now I'm thinking either order it at NewEgg and take a my chances on getting one with E0 stepping. Anyone know if NewEgg's current supply are saturated with E0 stepped E8400 or a mixed etc? Perhaps wait for the Q9450 or others to come down a bit to the low $200?
Hard Drive. Not really important, Just don't want to pay over $100 for a SATA one.
Optical Drive. Not important either, any SATA drive will do.
RAM. Here's my dilemma, I don't know why but I'm heart set on getting a 4gb pair of DDR2 800 with 4-4-4-12 timing from Corsair (CORSAIR XMS2 DHX 4GB) but holy cow it's a little expensive compared to the other brands with diffrent voltages and timing. Would it be much different (performance wise) if I go with something like lets say...this or this?
Thank you, any advice is appreciated.
First: Don't worry about newegg. Just got for the E8400 there, you won't be disappointed.
Second: Next, get a different power supply. Not only is the poweroverkill, but the railings suck. Multiple rails, eat at 18Amps? Yuck! Look for a PSU with a single rail that's at 45+ Amps.
Third: For RAM...even this is fine. The CAS Latency won't give you any noticable gains. Numbers, yes - noticible? No.
Thanks for the fast response, I expected the motherboard to be limited since the system is a fairly low-end pre-built machine but I just wanted to be sure.
This is what I'm looking at currently for my new (WAR-fueled) upgrade, I don't have a ton of experience in this area so if someone could point out if there are any glaring problems or any suggestions I would really appreciate it.
The only reason for the e8500 over the e8400 (which is usually what I see suggested) is that the price difference ended up being ~5$, so it seemed worthwhile unless I am missing some compatibility issue.
I will be trying to use the case, hard drive, CD drive and power supply I already have. However I can't find the size specifications of the motherboard anywhere either on the manufacturer or vendor's websites so I don't know how well that could work. Probably best to go with a new case to avoid problems?
Also, my current power supply is a Corsair 450w, is that sufficient for this setup?
Get a new PSU. 550 - 700 Watts, 600 recommended. Single 12v rail at minimum 41 Amps.
It was
originally meant to be a reliable system that ran fairly quietly. The
motherboard was bought because of the raid controller that came with it.
I'm trying to mess around and play with some raided drives, but if there's
a better way I'm all ears.
Basically I wanted something that would last me a few years at least
without crapping out on me. Playing the occasional game, but not pumping
out something like crysis on high.
RAID isn't something you dick around with on your main rig, unless you're
just setting a RAID level and leaving it the fuck alone, because changing
an array = reformat. Use your backup box for that if you must.
Scrap pretty much everything you've listed, and I'll post a Standard
Gaming Build. An American skilled in the ways of Newegg can find the best
prices:
Case: Antec Sonata III (Quiet, comes with the same EarthWatts 500W PSU)
CPU: Core 2 Duo E8400
RAM: 2x2GB DDR2-800 kit
Mobo: Intel P35 or P45-based motherboard, basic equipment. GA-DS3L or DS4L
perhaps? ASUS P5Q?
Video: 8800GT or 9600GT for mid-range, $110-$120 range. If you can pull
together the $150-$160 get a Radeon HD4850 and enjoy.
PCIe 2.0 and 1.0 are backwards/forwards compatible. Don't let that stop you from buying something better.
Really? That's cool. There was a combo deal with the cpu and a GA-DS3L motherboard for $240. That's a $40 savings unless the board really isn't good.
I think P45 gives you PCIe 2.0 and is a die-shrink (65nm vs 90nm) for lower power consumption/heat output. For most people I don't think there will be any major differences.
Someone else want to confirm/deny?
PeregrineFalcon on
Looking for a DX:HR OnLive code for my kid brother.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
Thanks for the fast response, I expected the motherboard to be limited since the system is a fairly low-end pre-built machine but I just wanted to be sure.
This is what I'm looking at currently for my new (WAR-fueled) upgrade, I don't have a ton of experience in this area so if someone could point out if there are any glaring problems or any suggestions I would really appreciate it.
The only reason for the e8500 over the e8400 (which is usually what I see suggested) is that the price difference ended up being ~5$, so it seemed worthwhile unless I am missing some compatibility issue.
I will be trying to use the case, hard drive, CD drive and power supply I already have. However I can't find the size specifications of the motherboard anywhere either on the manufacturer or vendor's websites so I don't know how well that could work. Probably best to go with a new case to avoid problems?
Also, my current power supply is a Corsair 450w, is that sufficient for this setup?
Get a new PSU. 550 - 700 Watts, 600 recommended. Single 12v rail at minimum 41 Amps.
Disagree. The 450w corsair would be fine. An entire system with a 4850 draws about 295w at full load. The 450vx has 33 amps on the 12v rail, which can handle a load of up to 396w, giving him 100w of clearance.
While I'm not certain, I believe those load values are for the graphics card under load only. Note that there is a 49W difference between the 6200 full load, and the 6200 + CPU full load.
Additionally, you have to factor in efficiency. 450W * 80% effeciency = 360W available.
So, 295W (GPU load & system) + 49W (assumed CPU full load) = 344W out of 360W used. Since its uncertain if the HDDs are under load in that test, I'd assume you'd need more clearance than that.
Also note that those values are measured at the wall, not on the 12V rail.
According to the Corsair site the 450w should have been sufficient for that build, but I don't know how accurate their PSUfinder actually is.
In any case I've had to make some changes to the build because the case I have now won't actually fit the motherboard I wanted to use, so I'm going for a complete system now (as using some of my current parts would have only saved about 100$ and made my current system obviously unusable).
DVD Drive: Samsung 26$ (These all seem to be basically the same cost and have the same features on directcanada, so unless someone has a suggestion I guess this one works?)
Total: 787$
This is the first time I'm building a complete system (I've done part swaps and upgrades before but never the whole thing), so looking for any suggestions or compatibility problems I missed. Also, is this *everything* I need for the system, aside from a screwdriver, OS and peripherals (mouse/keyboard/monitor)?
Drop the E8500 for an E8400, buy an aftermarket heatsink with the money you save, and overclock to E8500 (or higher) speeds.
The only real things to look out for on CD/DVD drives seems to be:
1. Make sure it's SATA (the one you linked is).
2. Lightscribe, if you want it for some reason unbeknownest to me.
If you're building for performance, you're doing it wrong.
Thanks...that was helpful :?
AMD is good for low budgets but is terrible for a gaming rig nowadays.
Yeah AMD is pretty ghetto these days. You are much better off in the long run shelling out for a Core 2 Duo of any kind. Generally speaking the price difference is usually around 50 bucks or so and it's worth it.
Drop the E8500 for an E8400, buy an aftermarket heatsink with the money you save, and overclock to E8500 (or higher) speeds.
The only real things to look out for on CD/DVD drives seems to be:
1. Make sure it's SATA (the one you linked is).
2. Lightscribe, if you want it for some reason unbeknownest to me.
I meant to mention it in my original post but I only went for the e8500 over the e8400 because it was only a 5$ price difference on directcanada.com. I wasn't really planning on overclocking since this is the first PC I'm building myself and getting an aftermarket heatsink would put me even more over budget.
Lightscribe seemed like a neat idea when it came with my last machine because I thought it worked with all CDs, but requiring special overpriced CDs kind of kills it.
The Case and the Processor are combo'd for 229.99 after rebates.
The Video Card and Power Supply are combo'd for 209.98 after rebates.
Edit: Also, if you don't see any problems with them, can you recommend a good MoBo to tie them all together?
I'm more or less a complete newbie at this, but i think getting a phenom is a bad idea for gaming. Most games don't deal with more than 2 processors well, and you can get a better processor for cheaper.
Thanks for the fast response, I expected the motherboard to be limited since the system is a fairly low-end pre-built machine but I just wanted to be sure.
This is what I'm looking at currently for my new (WAR-fueled) upgrade, I don't have a ton of experience in this area so if someone could point out if there are any glaring problems or any suggestions I would really appreciate it.
The only reason for the e8500 over the e8400 (which is usually what I see suggested) is that the price difference ended up being ~5$, so it seemed worthwhile unless I am missing some compatibility issue.
I will be trying to use the case, hard drive, CD drive and power supply I already have. However I can't find the size specifications of the motherboard anywhere either on the manufacturer or vendor's websites so I don't know how well that could work. Probably best to go with a new case to avoid problems?
Also, my current power supply is a Corsair 450w, is that sufficient for this setup?
Get a new PSU. 550 - 700 Watts, 600 recommended. Single 12v rail at minimum 41 Amps.
Disagree. The 450w corsair would be fine. An entire system with a 4850 draws about 295w at full load. The 450vx has 33 amps on the 12v rail, which can handle a load of up to 396w, giving him 100w of clearance.
Wrong. You have to account for the Wattage dipping between 95 - 70% power based on ambient temperatures. Meaning his lowest wattage would be 315w, meaning he'd blackout if the PSU ever dipped. The Wattages listed are maximum peak performance. It's important to bear in mind that this amount will never be reached under typical operation, unless your system's ambient temperature is 25 degrees Celcius, of course.
If you're going to disagree, at least make sure that it's for the person's benefit. I do this stuff for a living man. I've seen system's crash on a 500w PSU because the ambient temperature got a little high and it's wattages dipped. 500w on a box doesn't mean it'll always be 500w. Most Wattages on a PSU will dip below what they actually state.
Random rant... Why can I not have the damn 64-bit vista disc included in the box? Is it REALLY necessary to make me pay $10 in shipping for a freakin $100 product? Bleh.
Thanks for the fast response, I expected the motherboard to be limited since the system is a fairly low-end pre-built machine but I just wanted to be sure.
This is what I'm looking at currently for my new (WAR-fueled) upgrade, I don't have a ton of experience in this area so if someone could point out if there are any glaring problems or any suggestions I would really appreciate it.
The only reason for the e8500 over the e8400 (which is usually what I see suggested) is that the price difference ended up being ~5$, so it seemed worthwhile unless I am missing some compatibility issue.
I will be trying to use the case, hard drive, CD drive and power supply I already have. However I can't find the size specifications of the motherboard anywhere either on the manufacturer or vendor's websites so I don't know how well that could work. Probably best to go with a new case to avoid problems?
Also, my current power supply is a Corsair 450w, is that sufficient for this setup?
Get a new PSU. 550 - 700 Watts, 600 recommended. Single 12v rail at minimum 41 Amps.
Disagree. The 450w corsair would be fine. An entire system with a 4850 draws about 295w at full load. The 450vx has 33 amps on the 12v rail, which can handle a load of up to 396w, giving him 100w of clearance.
Wrong. You have to account for the Wattage dipping between 95 - 70% power based on ambient temperatures. Meaning his lowest wattage would be 315w, meaning he'd blackout if the PSU ever dipped. The Wattages listed are maximum peak performance. It's important to bear in mind that this amount will never be reached under typical operation, unless your system's ambient temperature is 25 degrees Celcius, of course.
If you're going to disagree, at least make sure that it's for the person's benefit. I do this stuff for a living man. I've seen system's crash on a 500w PSU because the ambient temperature got a little high and it's wattages dipped. 500w on a box doesn't mean it'll always be 500w. Most Wattages on a PSU will dip below what they actually state.
Yeah 315 is the right number with the efficiency modifier. But if you do that, apparently you also have to take the 295 number and multiply by 0.8 the way [H] measures it:
Keep in mind that these wattages are taken at the wall for the entire system containing an Intel QX9770, 2GB Corsair, RAM, the video card(s), 3 WD Raptor Hard Drives, a DVD/CDRom, a floppy drive, and a Koolance Exos water cooling system. We used the new BFGTech ES-800 to power our systems. With that in mind, if you have an 80% efficient PSU, you can take the wall wattage and multiply by .8 to see what your PSU output would approximately be. So in the case of the 4870: 359w x .8 = 287w. This roughly shows that the PSU is actually outputting around 300 watts of power.
That's 300 watts for a water cooled system with 3 raptors and a quad-core with a 4870.
I should have made my point more clear and definitely should have used the 0.8 modifier. The psu in question has passed torture tests very well and gotten great reviews as I'm sure you know. No system should run near the wall, but all I'm saying his more modest system with a 4850 isn't coming that close to the 450vx's wall. Try googling 450vx 4850 or something like that, or check some other hardware forums. You'll find people who say they are running that fine, advice to people saying it should be fine, links to power consumption calculators and reviews proving that it will be fine...even people saying they are running the 450vx with a 4870 (though that's pushing it more than I would).
But thanks for telling me that 500w on the box doesn't mean you're getting 500w all the time. I needed a good dose of condescension.
But thanks for telling me that 500w on the box doesn't mean you're getting 500w all the time. I needed a good dose of condescension.
and the only recourse is to be condescending right back!
corsair makes quality PSUs. the 450W is meant for basic systems the 550W is meant for systems with multiple optical and hard drives or extra case fans. the 650W is meant for that plus a top-o-da-line graphics card and the 750W is meant for SLI/Crossfire top-o-da-line
if you ever feel like you would add anything to your computer or change it, you probably should go with the 550. its only 20 bucks more anyway.
Please bear in mind that the "basic" Dell C2D rig uses a 300w PSU. Workstation machine, not Inspiron, before someone goes hurf durf consumer grade. A C2Q system with a dedicated video card runs happily off a 375w PSU.
Mmkay?
PeregrineFalcon on
Looking for a DX:HR OnLive code for my kid brother.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
I'm looking to spend around $2,500-$3,000 on a gaming machine. That includes monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Keyboard and mouse I'll be sticking with my logitech standbyes, unless someone can convince me otherwise: the (newest) G15 keyboard and an MX518 mouse.
Other than that, it's mostly open. I'm gonna have at least 4gb of RAM, and I figure 2 hard drives, one 300gb Velociraptor and a regular 1tb drive for storage. I'd like to get 2 graphics cards in there if possible. And definitely quadcore.
Any suggestions on parts? My current mobo is running an AMD processor but I hear those have fallen out of favor. I currently use NVidia but I've heard they aren't the best right now either. I unfortunately haven't really kept up with hardware since I built my current machine 2 years ago :-/
Posts
For the motherboard, the Gigabyte GA-EP35-DSL (I think) is the last-generation budget winner.
But the bolded part. Oh dear me, that won't do. I'm headed home, but paging DE25.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
Raidmax Smilodon ATX
GT: Tanky the Tank
Black: 1377 6749 7425
My usual reply is "don't buy case/mobo combos." It's usually smarter to buy them separate. Looking at your setup, however, the PSU should be just fine. The only thing irking me is that they talk about the PSU but don't give any hard statistics and information on it.
I'm not one to buy something with knowing what it is, so I'd go with option A.) Case + PSU Separately.
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3L 84.99
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 119.99
RAM: 2GB DDR2-800 41.49
GPU: PNY Geforce 9600GT 114.99
Hard Drive: Seagate ST3640323AS 640GB 89.99
DVD-RW/CD-RW: LG Black 22X 25.99
Power: Thermaltake TR2 W0070RUC 430W 35.99
Case: COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 49.99
Monitor: Acer AL2216Wbd 22" LCD 199.99
GT: Tanky the Tank
Black: 1377 6749 7425
I highly advise against that brand of PSU. The PSU is something you CANNOT gimp yourself on. It's arguably one of the most important parts of any system.
This will probably take you where you want to go.
It wont. And even if it could it would require a BIOS update, which Compaq currently doesn't have.
Current Purchased:
Antec P180 @ Fry's $69.99
Antec TPQ-850 850W @ Fry's $159.99 - $50 MIR = $109.99 AR
Ordered:
EVGA 750i FTW @ NewEgg $174.99 - $20 MIR = 154.99 AR. I don't need 3 way SLI but still want to have the option to go dual 8800GT SLI down the road a little later.
To be decided:
An Intel based processor. I originally wanted at Q6600 ($175) but on the way decided to pickup a E8400 for $170 instead (w/ E0 stepping - retail), but Fry's (B&M) have been out of stock for 2 weeks of the retail kit and the sales guy said is likely discontinued now (D:). Now I'm thinking either order it at NewEgg and take a my chances on getting one with E0 stepping. Anyone know if NewEgg's current supply are saturated with E0 stepped E8400 or a mixed etc? Perhaps wait for the Q9450 or others to come down a bit to the low $200?
Hard Drive. Not really important, Just don't want to pay over $100 for a SATA one.
Optical Drive. Not important either, any SATA drive will do.
RAM. Here's my dilemma, I don't know why but I'm heart set on getting a 4gb pair of DDR2 800 with 4-4-4-12 timing from Corsair (CORSAIR XMS2 DHX 4GB) but holy cow it's a little expensive compared to the other brands with diffrent voltages and timing. Would it be much different (performance wise) if I go with something like lets say...this or this?
Thank you, any advice is appreciated.
This is what I'm looking at currently for my new (WAR-fueled) upgrade, I don't have a ton of experience in this area so if someone could point out if there are any glaring problems or any suggestions I would really appreciate it.
Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3L 87$
Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 210$
Diamond Radeon Hd4850 187$
Corsair DDR2-800 2x2GB 95$
The only reason for the e8500 over the e8400 (which is usually what I see suggested) is that the price difference ended up being ~5$, so it seemed worthwhile unless I am missing some compatibility issue.
I will be trying to use the case, hard drive, CD drive and power supply I already have. However I can't find the size specifications of the motherboard anywhere either on the manufacturer or vendor's websites so I don't know how well that could work. Probably best to go with a new case to avoid problems?
Also, my current power supply is a Corsair 450w, is that sufficient for this setup?
First: Don't worry about newegg. Just got for the E8400 there, you won't be disappointed.
Second: Next, get a different power supply. Not only is the poweroverkill, but the railings suck. Multiple rails, eat at 18Amps? Yuck! Look for a PSU with a single rail that's at 45+ Amps.
Third: For RAM...even this is fine. The CAS Latency won't give you any noticable gains. Numbers, yes - noticible? No.
Get a new PSU. 550 - 700 Watts, 600 recommended. Single 12v rail at minimum 41 Amps.
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
Corsair 750W TX PSU
WESTERN DIGITAL 500GB SATAII 7200rpm GreenPower HDD
Asustek 512MB ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB GDDR3 PCI-E
Corsair 4GB DDR2-800 PC6400 C5 TWIN2X
ASUS P5Q PRO
Antec Three Hundred ATX Case
kpop appreciation station i also like to tweet some
An E7200 and a Freezer7, together, cost a little less than an E8400. Let's see if it ends up clocking just as high.
$100 for case and 500W supply - Antec Sonata III
$170 for the CPU
80$ - Memory G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail
$115 - ASUS EN9600GT/HTDI/512M GeForce 9600 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
$110 - ASUS P5QL-E LGA 775 Intel P43 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
$575 total so far. All the vid cards you listed required pci Express 2.0x16.
Sorry for the delay with the new build, been out of town. Thanks for the help guys.
PCIe 2.0 and 1.0 are backwards/forwards compatible. Don't let that stop you from buying something better.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
Really? That's cool. There was a combo deal with the cpu and a GA-DS3L motherboard for $240. That's a $40 savings unless the board really isn't good.
I think P45 gives you PCIe 2.0 and is a die-shrink (65nm vs 90nm) for lower power consumption/heat output. For most people I don't think there will be any major differences.
Someone else want to confirm/deny?
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
Disagree. The 450w corsair would be fine. An entire system with a 4850 draws about 295w at full load. The 450vx has 33 amps on the 12v rail, which can handle a load of up to 396w, giving him 100w of clearance.
Additionally, you have to factor in efficiency. 450W * 80% effeciency = 360W available.
So, 295W (GPU load & system) + 49W (assumed CPU full load) = 344W out of 360W used. Since its uncertain if the HDDs are under load in that test, I'd assume you'd need more clearance than that.
Also note that those values are measured at the wall, not on the 12V rail.
Case
Processor
Video Card
Power Supply
The Case and the Processor are combo'd for 229.99 after rebates.
The Video Card and Power Supply are combo'd for 209.98 after rebates.
Edit: Also, if you don't see any problems with them, can you recommend a good MoBo to tie them all together?
If you're building for performance, you're doing it wrong.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
In any case I've had to make some changes to the build because the case I have now won't actually fit the motherboard I wanted to use, so I'm going for a complete system now (as using some of my current parts would have only saved about 100$ and made my current system obviously unusable).
Case: Antec Sonata III (includes 500w PS) 112$
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3L 87$
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 210$
Graphics Card: Diamond Radeon Hd4850 187$
RAM: Corsair DDR2-800 2x2GB 95$
Hard drive: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 70$
DVD Drive: Samsung 26$ (These all seem to be basically the same cost and have the same features on directcanada, so unless someone has a suggestion I guess this one works?)
Total: 787$
This is the first time I'm building a complete system (I've done part swaps and upgrades before but never the whole thing), so looking for any suggestions or compatibility problems I missed. Also, is this *everything* I need for the system, aside from a screwdriver, OS and peripherals (mouse/keyboard/monitor)?
Thanks...that was helpful :?
The only real things to look out for on CD/DVD drives seems to be:
1. Make sure it's SATA (the one you linked is).
2. Lightscribe, if you want it for some reason unbeknownest to me.
AMD is good for low budgets but is terrible for a gaming rig nowadays.
Yeah AMD is pretty ghetto these days. You are much better off in the long run shelling out for a Core 2 Duo of any kind. Generally speaking the price difference is usually around 50 bucks or so and it's worth it.
I meant to mention it in my original post but I only went for the e8500 over the e8400 because it was only a 5$ price difference on directcanada.com. I wasn't really planning on overclocking since this is the first PC I'm building myself and getting an aftermarket heatsink would put me even more over budget.
Lightscribe seemed like a neat idea when it came with my last machine because I thought it worked with all CDs, but requiring special overpriced CDs kind of kills it.
I'm more or less a complete newbie at this, but i think getting a phenom is a bad idea for gaming. Most games don't deal with more than 2 processors well, and you can get a better processor for cheaper.
GT: Tanky the Tank
Black: 1377 6749 7425
Wrong. You have to account for the Wattage dipping between 95 - 70% power based on ambient temperatures. Meaning his lowest wattage would be 315w, meaning he'd blackout if the PSU ever dipped. The Wattages listed are maximum peak performance. It's important to bear in mind that this amount will never be reached under typical operation, unless your system's ambient temperature is 25 degrees Celcius, of course.
If you're going to disagree, at least make sure that it's for the person's benefit. I do this stuff for a living man. I've seen system's crash on a 500w PSU because the ambient temperature got a little high and it's wattages dipped. 500w on a box doesn't mean it'll always be 500w. Most Wattages on a PSU will dip below what they actually state.
Either that or the E7200, if you really need that extra $50 elsewhere.
/rant
Sorry, just want my new shinies to work properly.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138126
with
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037
I wouldn't go Biostar.
Yeah 315 is the right number with the efficiency modifier. But if you do that, apparently you also have to take the 295 number and multiply by 0.8 the way [H] measures it:
That's 300 watts for a water cooled system with 3 raptors and a quad-core with a 4870.
I should have made my point more clear and definitely should have used the 0.8 modifier. The psu in question has passed torture tests very well and gotten great reviews as I'm sure you know. No system should run near the wall, but all I'm saying his more modest system with a 4850 isn't coming that close to the 450vx's wall. Try googling 450vx 4850 or something like that, or check some other hardware forums. You'll find people who say they are running that fine, advice to people saying it should be fine, links to power consumption calculators and reviews proving that it will be fine...even people saying they are running the 450vx with a 4870 (though that's pushing it more than I would).
But thanks for telling me that 500w on the box doesn't mean you're getting 500w all the time. I needed a good dose of condescension.
and the only recourse is to be condescending right back!
corsair makes quality PSUs. the 450W is meant for basic systems the 550W is meant for systems with multiple optical and hard drives or extra case fans. the 650W is meant for that plus a top-o-da-line graphics card and the 750W is meant for SLI/Crossfire top-o-da-line
if you ever feel like you would add anything to your computer or change it, you probably should go with the 550. its only 20 bucks more anyway.
Doesn't NewEgg also have a combo-deal with the Gigabyte GA-EP35-DSL or whatever that motherboard is?
Oh, and
Please bear in mind that the "basic" Dell C2D rig uses a 300w PSU. Workstation machine, not Inspiron, before someone goes hurf durf consumer grade. A C2Q system with a dedicated video card runs happily off a 375w PSU.
Mmkay?
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
Other than that, it's mostly open. I'm gonna have at least 4gb of RAM, and I figure 2 hard drives, one 300gb Velociraptor and a regular 1tb drive for storage. I'd like to get 2 graphics cards in there if possible. And definitely quadcore.
Any suggestions on parts? My current mobo is running an AMD processor but I hear those have fallen out of favor. I currently use NVidia but I've heard they aren't the best right now either. I unfortunately haven't really kept up with hardware since I built my current machine 2 years ago :-/