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Forums - General - Building a new computer... suggestions?

chuckd on 16 August 2007

Overclocking the CoreDuo cpus is NOT a risky proposition as long as you don't go for too much. Like I said, look at Tom's and other guides around the net. My chip will actually go 4GHz+, but I dialed it back down to 3, for stability and life span. What kills o/c'd chips is heat and using greater than stock voltage. I had to up the voltage to go to 4, but have the voltage stock at 3. The temp is nice and low, too. I used to love AMD chips, and heck I still bought an ATI (AMD) video card, but the Intel chips just simply outperform them. Add in the ability to o/c them and it's a no brainer.

CPU charts:

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/07/16/cpu_charts_2007/

Especially for encoding, Intel is currently stomping on AMD. Hopefully AMD will get back in the game, but it won't be until they release their next line of chips.



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jjseth on 16 August 2007
rendo said:
#1 RAID5 requires 3 disks.

#2 Don't run RAID, especially 0 because if one drive fails, your entire system fails. You might get better performance, but you risk losing data, and if that happens you'll have great difficulty retrieving it. RAID1 would be better since it gives faster reading which is what you'll need for games, but slower writing, which won't be too noticeable.

Might want to look into the Q6600's, they've dropped down to sub $300 levels and will leave you set for the next 5 years.

I know that I run that risk by using a RAID 0 setup, but it hasn't failed me now in a year and a half.  I also have a backup IDE HDD where I place backups of files, programs, and other stuff as a "just in case" something goes wrong.  It's just a old HDD that wasn't being used so honestly it worked fine for me.   That spare HD is just only for backups though, I don't run anything directly off that drive.  Also I have created a Ghost image of my PC so reinstalling everything is a snap if something ever goes wrong.  I generally update that image once a month or two.  Basically whenever I go and add a new program to my computer.



 


Get your Portable ID!

 

My pokemon brings all the nerds to the yard. And they're like, "You wanna trade cards?" Damn right, I wanna trade cards. I'll trade this, but not my charizard.

Sqrl on 16 August 2007
Galaki said:

Did some browsing at newegg and came out with this setup.

$839.92 (after mail-in rebate)

  • Foxconn C51XEM2AA- 8EKRS2H Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
  • Patriot eXtreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model PDC22G6400LLK - Retail
  • AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ Windsor 2.8GHz Socket AM2 Processor Model ADA5600CZBOX - Retail
  • Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
  • COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
  • COOLER MASTER eXtreme RP-500-PCAR ATX from factor 12V V2.01 500W Power Supply - Retail
  • CHIMEI CMV 221D-NBC Black 22" 5ms DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail
  • Rosewill RCN-SC206 Monitor Cleaning w/ 100ml Solution - Retail
  • HIS Hightech H195PRF512DDN-R Radeon X1950PRO 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready Video Card - Retail

Yahoo converter gave me $904.5939 CND.

Existing parts. I already got DVD burners/drives. Multiple HDD (none SATA).


 Just some suggestions: 

  •  On your HD, it may or may not be worth it for you to pay an extra $10 for a seagate since they have 5 yr warranty. I know some people who have serious problems constantly with HD failure and others who never do.  A lot of people think this is luck but it actually has a lot to do with the environment (literally) in your home.  If you have had HD failure problems in the past just spend the extra$10 its well worth it and I know from experience that Seagates are a great brand (I currently own around 11 or 12 all 320GB or >).  WD is a solid brand also, so if HD troubles have not been an issue you will probably be fine with what you have.
  • With your budget situation I would seriously consider getting an 8800 GTS 320MB, it will set you back another 100 bucks but it is seriously worth it.  The card will run almost anything at the highest settings as long as you have a reasonable resolution.  The entire 8800 series handles AA/AF very well, and in general they are going to have a very long lifespan for a video card. And with your setup a future SLI would extend that lifetime even further.
PS - Picking up a nice monitor is some of the best money you can spend on a computer, if you are at all worried about the purchase...don't be.  The fact that they are always able to move to your next computer you build makes a monitor easily some of the best money you can spend on a computer. And don't let anyone tell you 22" is too big...its not!!!
To Each Man, Responsibility
jjseth on 16 August 2007

Sqrl brings up a good point. I personally prefer Seagate over WD by alot. I had many issues with several WD HDD's in the past, switched to Seagate and have been happier with that choice.



 


Get your Portable ID!

 

My pokemon brings all the nerds to the yard. And they're like, "You wanna trade cards?" Damn right, I wanna trade cards. I'll trade this, but not my charizard.

El Duderino on 16 August 2007

some here sayed 22" was to big ??? what nonsense, I have a 21" and its the best monitor I´ve ever had, I don´t even bother waching DVDs on my TV anymore since when I sit infront of my monitor its just as big and quality is much better, this baby is going to spare me the money for a HDTV for a long time, its from some unknown german company (Quato) that actually specializes on colors for graphic developers, I got it on ebay for 30$ and I love it :)



 

 

 

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Galaki on 16 August 2007
$179.99
 Amd Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Dual Core Processor Socket AM2 Windsor 3.0GHZ 2000FSB 2X1MB 90NM Retail Box
 $49.68 Coolermaster CAC-T05 Centurion 5 Aluminum ATX Tower Case 5X5.25 1X3.5 4X3.5INT SILVER-BLACK No PS
 $109.18 Corsair HX520 CMPSU-520HX 520W Atx Triple 12V 40A Continuous 24PIN Atx Modular 120MM Power Supply
 $137.55 EVGA NF59 Nforce 590 SLI ATX AM2 2PCI-E16 1PCI-E4 1PCI-E1 2PCI SATA2 RAID Sound GBLAN Motherboard
 $170.13 Corsair XMS2 TWIN2X2048-6400C4 2GB 2X1GB PC2-6400 DDR2-800 Cl 4-4-4-12 240PIN Dual Channel Memory
 $303.06 Evga E-GEFORCE 8800GTS 500MHZ 320MB 1.6GHZ GDDR3 PCI-E Dual DVI-I Hdtv Hdcp DIRECTX10 Video Card
 $109.99 Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 500GB SATA2 3GB/S 7200RPM 16MB Cache Ncq Hard Drive

Total: $1059.58 - $50 rebate

Total after tax and stuff: ~$1160 

With this build. I can easily add ram and another video card in a year or 2 and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

But that also cost me an arm and a leg right now...

options:

  • cut back on MB and save $40 (nforce 590 to nforce 500)
  • cut back on cpu by $100 (down to 3800)
  • cut back on case/psu by $100 (to generic combo)
  • cut back on video card by $150 (down to 8600)

For HDD, i think 500G is the best GB/dollar, so, there's no need to cut there. Anymore ideas? keep? cut? I probably end up waiting a bit longer to get a new monitor with this kind of spending. Currently using 19''.



Pre-order limited edition Blue Slime Condoms

Kwaad on 16 August 2007
Galaki said:

What's currently the best-bang-for-your-bucks?

So far, I came up with the following,

$269.97
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ 3.0GHz / 2MB Cache / 1000MHz (2000 MT/s) / Dual-Core (Windsor) / Socket AM2 / Processor with Fan
$59.97 x2
XFX GeForce 7300 GT / 512MB DDR2 / SLI Ready / PCI Express / DVI / VGA / HDTV / Video Card

$189.99

EVGA nForce 590 SLI NVIDIA Socket AM2 (940) ATX Motherboard / Audio / PCI Express / SLI Ready / Dual Gigabit LAN / USB 2.0 & Firewire / Serial ATA / RAID

$119.97

OCZ SLI-Ready Edition Dual Channel 2048MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz Memory (2 x 1024MB)

$39.97

Ultra / X-Finity / 600-Watt / ATX / Dual 80mm Fan / SATA-Ready / SLI Ready / Black / Power Supply

$146.99

ThermalTake Tsunami Series Aluminum ATX Mid-Tower Case with Top USB, Firewire and Audio Ports - Black

$119.97

Western Digital / Caviar SE16 / 500GB / 7200 / 16MB / SATA-300 / OEM / Hard Drive

$79.97

Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard

$73.99

Logitech G5 Laser Gaming Mouse
$239.97
Hyvision by Megavision MV220 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor - 5ms, 1000:1, WSXGA+ 1680 x 1050, DVI, VGA, Component Video, Black, Integrated Speakers

Total: $1400.46

I could use old/existing parts that I got and cut the last 4 items off the list and comes out with total $886.56

Note that the prices are listed in CND and priced after rebate from tigerdirect. (Probably several hundreds more if I didn't count rebate)

I want to spent the least amount possible but not suffer from performce cut too much. Of course, I won't want it so cheap that I ended up with some crappy celeron system. I also noticed that I I buy pre-built system, it seems cheaper but the parts aren't exactly what I want. I've always prefer building my own computers and been doing that starting my 3rd computer since the P2 age. I am open to suggestion for barebone builds also.

What I am using the computer for,

  • gaming
  • encoding videos (creating DVD)
  • internet
  • probably some web/app programming

Gaming and encoding videos are the 2 main things that suck the computer dry, IMO. That's why I picked 2x SLI video cards. I also tend to multitask. Most likely, encoding videos in the background. Watching stream videos and browsing.

I would probably have chosen intel build but the cost for the same performance is a lot more. I am open to all suggestions, though.


I'm not gonna say much about this, but my computer is 1 year old, I didnt spend this much. And mine would blow the socks off yours.

Gaming. Get a C2D.
Encoding Videos. Get a C2D.
Internet. Get a 2Ghz  P4. Who cares. If you build a computer and you DONT use it for that at all, your a psycho, and have like 8 'special' application computers.
web/app programming. Go buy yourself a oldschool 386. Put linux on it. And do your programming there. That's what I reccomend.

 

Your first problem is AMD CPU. Dont do it.

Get a 8800 GTS. That's your best bet.

I'm not familar with that case, but make sure that it has good air-flow. If you DONT have good air-flow, you CAN cook your hardware in a bad case like a oven. (I've done it)

And do NOT and I repeat. do NOT skimp on your PSU. You will SCREW yourself doing that. A bad PSU, will fry your computer.

Also, stay with a 8xxx card for sure tho. You GOTTA have DX10 support. Your STUPID if you build a system without it. My brother is actually gonna wait 6 months to build a new gameing computer. (he already sold his old one) and he is waiting for the GeForce9 to come out. 



PSN ID: Kwaad


I fly this flag in victory!

FJ-Warez on 16 August 2007

Good combo, but please, listen to me and dont buy a generic PSU, that probably will kill your PC...



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Made with Blender + LuxRender
"Since you can´t understand ... there is no point to taking you seriously."
rendo on 16 August 2007

Don't listen to Kwaad. AMD CPU's are fine, he's probably just an intel fanboy. C2D ftw right now, but the 4800 x2 or above is still a sexy beast.

You also don't _need_ a DX10 card as there are VERY FEW GAMES THAT SUPPORT IT OUT RIGHT YET. However, it's good for the future and an excellent investment so you should go that route.

Also, a PSU may or may not fry your system. If the PSU fails, it doesn't automatically mean it'll fry your entire system. If the battery in your car is fried, does it kill the rest of the car? Case in point.

Another also, airflow is important, but it's not as dangerous as Kwaad makes it out to be. Just get a PSU with a bottom exhaust fan and that'll help with heat transfer.



FJ-Warez on 16 August 2007

Get one good power supply...

One example...

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/244479-28-what-power-supply

 

http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/08/09/pc_power_supplies/ 



By me:

Made with Blender + LuxRender
"Since you can´t understand ... there is no point to taking you seriously."